Hi All, I have one questione for which I found no final answer by searching in internet and in Google documentation. Is android backup to Google at least party E2EE? As I said, they mention additional client encryption based on lock in code, but still not clear of Google has the keys. Thanks
Yes, Android backups to Google are partially E2EE, but the implementation depends on the Android version and the type of data being backed up. System backups (including app data, call history, contacts, device settings, and SMS) are end-to-end encrypted.
The encryption key is generated on the device and protected by the user’s lock screen PIN, pattern, or password. This means that Google cannot access the contents of these backups without the user’s lock screen passcode/password/authorization.
E2EE for app data within system backups is dependent on whether app developers utilize the Android Backup service.
Where did you read about what data is specifically E2EE? I didn’t find anything in Google’s docs except that media is not E2EE.
I did a web search and came across articles by several publications including Android Central I think talking about this. I don’t have the links with me anymore and my browser history was deleted a couple of hours ago.
Edit:
Thanks All! In fact I came to the same conclusions: no very clear assurance from Google documentation, some articles confirming a partial E2EE; I tried also with Google Gemini, but the response was the same. The reason for my question was that after years of sticking to the Apple ecosystem, I was trying to give a chance to Android, but, apparently, it is very difficult to maintain a mixed environment due to all the lock-ins. Greatly appreciated your help, thanks.
No where in official docs it says it is E2EE afaik. I suspect there is a misunderstanding here of what is end to end encryption and what is encryption in transit.
From official page:
Important: The data that Google collects is encrypted in transit.
Encryption in transit litterly means they use a secure connection like TLS. That is basically the de facto standard these days of every connection on the internet.
Okay so I dove a bit further into this.
It is actually possible for developers to require E2EE encryption “for sensitive data”
The page above suggests that this needs to be enabled by the developers explicitly.
And surely like other suggested the implementation of e2ee will depend on the device of course so you have to trust the manufacture, but that goes without saying.
So does this mean the OS backup from Google provided by Google don’t have E2EE at all? And only non Google app devs can implement encryption for backups?
That depends on implementation and please read again what I said cuz not sure where you get that from.
See Data backup overview | Identity | Android Developers on what parts of android can be backed up by a backup agent.
These pages say that the user data part should be E2EE after android 9:
- Back up user data with Auto Backup | Identity | Android Developers
- Security recommendations for backups | Android Developers
The TLDR is that there is indeed e2ee on user data. App developers can require e2ee of their app data or tell the OS to exclude it. The security will of course depend on the implementation by manufacture of course. If you have a pixel phone this probably will be fine. Nethertheless Google does collect some (meta) data of backups as defined in links provided above, you can read up yourself if you are invested in the details.
Thanks, this is enlightening; so, by default nothing is backed up e2ee, but the developer is suggested to set e2ee backup of sensitive APP’s data (default with Android 9+) or not to backup them at all, nonetheless some freedom is let to implement this best practice or not; that also means I cannot know at 100% if an app follows that prescription or not. So, if I would to classify privacy of backups, I could say: iCloud with ADP > Android 9+ > iCloud without ADP
Not at all what i said. Please read beter.
And what you should use high depends on your threat model. If you live in a country with a government that is hostile to e2ee like the UK you i.e. should think otherwise about this.
Generally tho you can also pick other services like recommended on our website to back up your data rather than using something system wide. It generally is beter to start with a clean device anyway instead of pulling all garbage back on a new device.
According to the EFF, Google Messages backup is E2EE.
Google message is E2EE only when RCS is enabled. Without enabling it, the lock that EFF mentioned will no appear