← Glossary
End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
Encryption where only the sender and recipient hold the keys; the server in the middle stores ciphertext it cannot read.
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means messages, files, or calls are encrypted on the sender's device with a key only the intended recipient can decrypt. The server in the middle stores or forwards ciphertext but cannot read the content even if compromised, subpoenaed, or run by a hostile operator.
The honest test for whether something is genuinely E2EE: can the operator legally compelled to read your data, do so? If yes, it is not E2EE. If no, it is. Always check what specifically is encrypted — body? subject? metadata? attachments? Many "encrypted" services protect bodies but leak subjects, recipients, and timestamps.
Counterfeits to watch for: "encrypted at rest" (server has the key), "TLS in transit" (encrypted only between you and the server), "encrypted with industry-standard AES-256" (says nothing about who holds the key).