Google Introduces Key Verifier To Prevent Fraud On Google Messages

Google announced the presence of the Key Verifier feature on Android. (photo: x @CeotechI ·)

JAKARTA - In an effort to improve communication security via message, Google announced the presence of the Key Verifier feature on Android. This feature is designed to ensure that the contact credentials you talk to are strictly legal, and provide an extra layer of protection against increasingly sophisticated fraud.

Fraud messages can come from various sources, even from contacts that seem safe. This can happen due to spoofing techniques, hacked accounts, to SIM swap attacks. Although end-to-end encryption has been used to secure message content, the technology is not always enough to prevent all types of fraud.

The Key Verifier feature is here to strengthen the security of private conversations on Google Messages. With this feature, users and contacts can verify each other through a unique encryption key verification process. This system utilizes public and private key pairs generated automatically by their respective devices.

Verification is done through the Google Contact application, where users can choose to verify the public keys belonging to their contacts. This process can be done by scanning the QR code displayed on the contact device or by matching the unique verification numbers that appear on both devices.

After verification is complete, Google Messages will display a checkmark as a visual confirmation that the encryption key has matched. This sign provides certainty that you are communicating with the right person.

Furthermore, Key Verifier also serves as a protector of an attempt to disguise. For example, if a con artist manages to take over your friend's number and uses it on another device, the verification status in your Google Contact will turn unverified. This is an important signal that the account may have been hacked or that the sender of the message is not the real person.

Google states that Key Verifier will be available to all Android devices running Android 10 or higher versions, and will officially launch this summer.