Glossary
End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
A method of securing messages so their content is readable only by the sender and the intended recipient, and not by the intermediaries carrying the message.
General definition
End-to-end encryption, or E2EE, encrypts a message on the sender’s device and decrypts it only on the recipient’s device. The keys needed to read the content stay on the endpoints, so servers and networks in between can route the message but cannot read it.
It helps to separate three related but different protections:
- Encryption in transit (for example TLS) protects data as it travels between a client and a server
- Encryption at rest protects stored data on disk and in databases
- End-to-end encryption protects the content across the whole path, so that even the service operator cannot read it
E2EE gives the strongest confidentiality, but it also constrains features that need to process message content on the server, such as server-side search, content moderation or some AI processing. Real systems choose a balance based on their threat model and compliance needs.
E2EE, privacy and compliance
Encryption is central to regulated messaging in healthcare, finance and legal work. Frameworks like HIPAA require appropriate safeguards for data in transit and at rest, and often strict control over who can access data and where it is stored. The right model depends on the use case: some deployments need full E2EE, while others need auditable, compliant access to message content for record-keeping and moderation.
Encryption in the Ethora ecosystem
Ethora protects data with encryption in transit and at rest, and its self-hosted and dedicated deployment options let you keep messages, keys and data residency entirely under your own control, a key requirement for compliance-sensitive teams. Deployments can be configured for the confidentiality model a project needs. See the healthcare chat SDK and self-hosted chat server for how this works in practice.
