End-to-end encryption for Ring wireless doorbells

Ring wants to make its wireless doorbells more secure by adding end-to-end encryption. The brand’s wired doorbells have had support since 2021, but wireless doorbells will be added soon.

End-to-end encryption

End-to-end encryption means that when something is sent from one system to another, the data is encrypted. As a result, for example, a hacker who intercepts the data can still do nothing with the data: he or she does not have access to this because of the encryption. Who does have that ‘key’? These are the two systems between which the data is exchanged.

You see it in messaging services such as WhatsApp and Zoom, among other things, to ensure that the messages you share with someone cannot just be made public (unless the person you share the messages with does). Ring doorbells are becoming a lot more secure with this encryption method being added to the brand’s wireless doorbells.

Ring wireless doorbell

In the case of Ring, it’s not about messages, but about images recorded by your doorbell. Only you as the owner of the doorbell can view the images. At least: if you make sure that end-to-end encryption is turned on. It is up to the user to enable the encryption in the settings menu. The images of the Ring are still on the company’s servers, but Ring and governments such as the police cannot view them without permission if end-to-end encryption is on.

Enabling encryption also has drawbacks. For example, you will no longer be able to view Ring images via the brand’s website and it will no longer be possible for users who have been shared on your doorbell to view images. Not quite ideal if, for example, you live with roommates.

Would you enable encryption? Leave it now in the comments to this article.