Twitter has launched the feature of encrypting private messages, using end-to-end-encrypted encryption, through which only the sender and receiver can see the messages. Encrypted messages are only available to Twitter Blue users, and do not work by default. To activate it:

  1. Open the conversation
  2. Click on the information icon
  3. Initiate an encrypted message

Currently, encrypted messages cannot be sent to group chats, nor can an encrypted conversation be held with a “free” user. Both parties to the conversation must be subscribers to Twitter Blue.

Explain:

End-to-End Encryption is the process of transforming information so that it is protected in many stages as it is sent from one person to another over the Internet. The basic idea behind end-to-end encryption is to ensure that information remains confidential and incomprehensible to any third party trying to access it.

Suppose there are two parties who want to communicate and exchange information, we will call them Amina and Ahmed. To achieve end-to-end encryption between them, they must follow these steps:

  1. Key generation: Ahmed and Amina generate their own encryption keys. These keys are a long string of complex numbers and letters used to encrypt and decrypt information. (Currently applications generate keys automatically. But read on to understand how it works)
  2. Encryption: When Amina wants to send a message to Ahmed, she encrypts the content using Ahmed’s public key. This public key is part of Ahmed’s cryptographic system that allows him to decrypt content encrypted with that key.
  3. Transmission: After the content is encrypted, it is sent from Amina to Ahmed over the network. During the transmission, an attempt may be made to intercept the data, but no one other than Ahmed can decrypt the encrypted content due to the use of his private key.
  4. Decryption: When Ahmed receives the encrypted message, he uses the private key he generated on his end to decrypt and restore the original content