San Francisco, CA – In a major security upgrade, Apple announced that their upcoming iOS 17.4 update will introduce a new state-of-the-art security feature for iMessage. This new feature, referred to as post-quantum cryptography Level 3 (PQ3), is said to have the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world.
Apple’s new security feature employs advanced cryptographic methods to ensure that users’ messages are protected against cyber attacks. In their Security Research blog, Apple detailed how PQ3 will work to safeguard iMessage communications, making it nearly impossible for hackers to compromise the encryption keys. This is a significant development in the ongoing battle to protect user data and privacy in an increasingly digital world.
Utilizing an ECDH key exchange and Kyber key encapsulation, the new protocol ensures that the initial session state cannot be derived without knowing both of the shared secrets. This means that any potential attacker would need to break both algorithms to recover the resulting secret, a substantial barrier for hackers seeking to access private conversations on iMessage.
The need for improved security measures is evident, especially with the prevalence of high-level government attacks utilizing iMessage. Notably, Apple’s iMessage has been targeted by sophisticated spy software, emphasizing the urgency for enhanced security protocols to protect users from such invasive attacks.
According to Apple, the new security protocol will be integrated into the public releases of iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4. The company has also included the security feature in their developer and public beta releases, signifying their commitment to strengthening the security of their messaging platform. In light of the ongoing threats posed by cyber attacks, Apple’s proactive approach to security enhancements is a significant step in safeguarding users’ privacy and data.