TL;DR
- Google is introducing a new RCS-based method for verifying the identity of incoming callers.
- Unlike carrier-based authentication system, this one just requires that you and your caller are running Google Phone, Messages, and Contacts.
- Availability is getting started with Pixel phones, but will extend to other handsets running Android 12 and later.
Compared to modern, secure communication systems, the ancient public telephone network has long felt like a weak link. While we still rely upon it to receive important information, it’s far too easy for bad actors to take advantage of its limitations, and try and fool us by impersonating callers we trust. Thankfully, Google’s been working on a solution, and shares how its new tool is going to work as part of today’s June Android Drop announcements.
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Unlike call authentication protocols like STIR/SHAKEN that operate on a network level and require carrier support, Google’s new system is much simpler to implement widely, and operates more person-to-person. Basically, when you get an incoming call from one of your known contacts, your phone will silently communicate with the remote phone over an encrypted RCS link in order to verify the caller is who you expect it to be.
Even if someone’s able to spoof the incoming number, or maybe even use an AI tool to fake the caller’s voice, they wouldn’t be able to successfully respond to that encrypted RCS authentication step.
Being able to take advantage of these protections requires you to have Google Contacts and Messages installed, and both users will need to use Google’s Phone app. But even with all that Google software required, this isn’t destined to be a Pixel exclusive.
Availability will start with Pixel devices, to be fair, but Google says that it plans to extend support to other Android 12 and later handsets. That’s great to hear, because the more people out there running an easy-to-use call verification system like this, the more secure all of us can feel about knowing we’re talking to the person we think we are.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When you get a call from a known contact, your phone silently communicates with the remote phone over an encrypted RCS link to verify the caller is who you expect it to be.
Both users need Google Contacts and Messages installed, and both must use Google's Phone app.
Availability starts with Pixel devices, then extends to other handsets running Android 12 and later.
Unlike STIR/SHAKEN, which operates at network level and requires carrier support, Google's system is simpler to implement widely and works person-to-person.
