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Cybersecurity glossary

What is end-to-end encryption?

Also known as: E2EE

Definition

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means data is encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device, so the service in between cannot read it.

Why it matters

E2EE protects against interception and against breaches of the provider’s servers. It does not protect messages on a compromised or unlocked device, or backups that are not themselves end-to-end encrypted.

Common questions about end-to-end encryption

See also

Sources