Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A brand new Android System Key Verifier app is rolling out on Android units.
- This app is a system service that lets builders retailer their end-to-end encryption keys and lets customers confirm their apps are utilizing the proper keys when speaking.
- These keys aid you affirm that messages are probably coming from a tool that was arrange by your contact and never some malicious third celebration.
Once you’re speaking with somebody over a messaging app, how have you learnt the particular person you’re chatting with is who they are saying they’re? All too typically, folks’s on-line accounts get hijacked and used to rip-off different folks they know. One good method to confirm an individual is who they are saying they’re is to ask them one thing that solely the actual particular person would know, and that’s mainly what Google’s new Android System Key Verifier app is designed to do.
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A few days in the past, Google up to date its “what’s new in Google System Updates” web page to announce it was rolling out a brand new system service known as Android System Key Verifier. The web page solely stated that Android System Key Verifier “lets builders retailer end-to-end encryption keys,” however it didn’t provide any additional particulars. Happily for us, some customers have already obtained the brand new app, equivalent to Jason Lim, who shared the APK file with us.
After inspecting the app, evidently Android System Key Verifier implements the Contact Keys function that Google introduced as a function of Android 15. Nonetheless, the app itself works on Android 10 and later and solely requires Google Play Providers to operate, so your gadget doesn’t truly should be operating Android 15 with the intention to run it. Though there aren’t any apps that truly benefit from the Android System Key Verifier service but, the app’s Play Retailer web page offers us a sneak peek at what to anticipate from it.
From what we are able to inform, the Android System Key Verifier app has two parts. The primary element offers a service that lets messaging apps like Google Messages retailer end-to-end encryption keys in your gadget. The second element is a UI that allows you to share your end-to-end encryption keys with different folks within the type of a QR code. The UI additionally has an choice to scan a QR code offered by different folks.
Mainly, if you create a contact, your contact can share their QR code with you which ones, when scanned, associates their gadget with the contact that you simply created. Your contact can and may scan your personal QR code, in fact, so each units are verified. If you happen to’re later suspicious that the particular person you’re chatting with in a supported messaging app isn’t the identical particular person you initially added as a contact, you may have them attempt to confirm the keys that have been created if you scanned one another’s QR codes. If the particular person is utilizing a distinct gadget, then the keys gained’t match, that means it’s potential the particular person you’re chatting with may not be your precise contact. If they’re and simply acquired a brand new gadget, for instance, then they simply must scan your QR code once more on their new gadget.
If you happen to’re questioning precisely the way you’ll confirm keys after they’ve been added, we aren’t too certain about that half. It’s potential it’ll work considerably equally to Contact Key Verification in iOS 17.2, which shows a warning within the Apple Messages app when an unrecognized gadget has been added to a contact. You’ll be able to faucet this warning to see a quantity that you could confirm with the particular person both offline or by way of voice.
Contact Key Verification on iOS 17.2
A teardown of the Android System Key Verifier app does have strings that say you may “additionally evaluate the app particular numbers” as an alternative of scanning a QR code. The strings additionally say that QR codes may be accessed by opening the Google Contacts app, going to Contacts settings, after which accessing the Your information web page, nevertheless, this function isn’t truly reside but within the Google Contacts app.
Google stated final month that it was engaged on a contact verifying function within the Messages app. It stated this function will launch subsequent yr, so it’s probably the rollout of the Android System Key Verifier app is just in preparation for that launch. Google’s announcement additionally stated that the function would work on units operating Android 9 or later, although, whereas the Android System Key Verifier app presently requires no less than Android 10. It’s potential the minimal Android model that’s required has been elevated or Google is going through some points in getting the function to work on Android 9, however we gained’t know till the function truly launches. When it does launch, we’ll positively cowl the information on Android Authority, so preserve a watch out.
