This Google App Helps You Verify If You’re Chatting with the Right Person

Nov. 14, 2024

End-to-end encryption can protect your messages from bad actors trying to intercept them but how would you verify that the messages are being read only by the person you intended? In an attempt to solve this problem, Google has released a new app called “Android System Key Verifier” that lets you verify if the person on the opposite side is the one you want to text.

First spotted byMishaal Rahman, the Android System Key Verifier app was rolled out in last week’s Google Play System update, which, according to the release notes,“lets developers store end-to-end encryption keys.”Moreover, as it turns out, the app uses the Contact Keys feature.

Although we got the Key Verifier app on the Pixel 6, we couldn’t test it out because there are no apps that can take advantage of the Key Verifier app. The Google Play Store listing of the app gives us an idea of how it works, though.

The app verifies devices when one of the parties shares andscans the other person’s QR code, thereby creating a key on that device. When one of the parties is suspicious, they can ask you for the security code to determine if the other person is not them and is using a different device. Then, your Android device will alert you.Image Credit: Google (screenshot by Abubakar Mohammed/Beebom)

As for the feature’s availability, although the Contact Keys feature was announced during Android 15, it’s a part of Google Play Services meaning allAndroid 10+ device owners should be able to leverage this feature.

Google has been laser-focused on improving Android’s security and we’ve seen the giant roll out many security features in Android 15 (review). It’s good to see some of those features not being restricted to newer Android releases so that older devices can also stay secure.

What are your thoughts on the Android System Key Verifier app? Let us know in the comments.