Texting has been around since the 1990s, and it has served us well. Users have sent countless messages, and these exchanges have facilitated such developments as SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) and Kenya’s SMS-based M-Pesa mobile payment system. But the world has since discovered countless other ways to message — methods that enable far more compelling media and exchanges.
Enter Rich Communication Services (RCS), a carrier-implemented mobile communication alternative not only to SMS text messaging but also to proprietary messaging services like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or Apple’s iMessage.
RCS is an SIP- and HTTP-based way for messages, phone calls, video calls and file transfers to support features such as read receipts and typing notifications. Like proprietary messaging apps, RCS naturally offers some rich features, but it requires the phone system, like SMS. Once the phone number is registered through the phone network, RCS communication can happen over the internet.
The road to RCS has been, and continues to be, long and difficult. It took years for carriers to adopt RCS. Some smartphone makers and many users prefer third-party messaging apps, and Apple’s iMessage doesn’t even support RCS. But after many years of preparation and work — and despite all remaining obstacles — Rich Communication Services is finally here, available on all four major U.S. carriers. It’s also on more than 100 networks in nearly 70 countries.
Unfortunately, as it is being implemented, RCS is bringing some pretty glaring security vulnerabilities as well.
Potential Security Vulnerabilities With Rich Communication Services
Text messaging is vital to security. Whether it should be or not is immaterial to the fact that people do send sensitive inform ..
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