ARSecure: A Novel End-to-End Encryption Messaging System Using Augmented Reality

TL;DR

ARSecure presents an innovative end-to-end encrypted messaging system leveraging augmented reality glasses to encrypt and decrypt messages, effectively countering client-side scanning that threatens message privacy in existing IM applications.

Contribution

The paper introduces ARSecure, a novel AR-based messaging system that enhances E2EE by encrypting messages before they reach phones, addressing CSS vulnerabilities.

Findings

ARSecure successfully encrypts messages using AR glasses.

It counters client-side scanning in existing E2EE systems.

The system maintains message privacy against CSS threats.

Abstract

End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) ensures that only the intended recipient(s) can read messages. Popular instant messaging (IM) applications such as Signal, WhatsApp, Apple's iMessage, and Telegram claim to offer E2EE. However, client-side scanning (CSS) undermines these claims by scanning all messages, including text, images, audio, and video files, on both sending and receiving ends. Industry and government parties support CSS to combat harmful content such as child pornography, terrorism, and other illegal activities. In this paper, we introduce ARSecure, a novel end-to-end encryption messaging solution utilizing augmented reality glasses. ARSecure allows users to encrypt and decrypt their messages before they reach their phone devices, effectively countering the CSS technology in E2EE systems.