Microsoft Teams update makes end-to-end encryption ‘generally available’ for one-to-one calls

After months of testing the addition of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to one-to-one calls, Microsoft has finally launched it as a generally available feature for Teams users. However, note that its availability and access to this feature will not be as simple as E2EE’s application on other communications and messaging programs.

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that the update containing the E2EE feature is starting to roll out for Teams users. “Multiple enterprise customers in the US and Europe across industries such as aerospace, manufacturing, telecommunications, and professional services are in the process of rolling out E2EE for Teams calls,” technical product manager John Gruszczyk said on a blog post.

The addition of E2EE to Teams calls was announced earlier this year, but it only went into testing last October. At the time, Microsoft described the security feature as “the encryption of information at its origin and decryption at its intended destination without the ability for intermediate nodes or parties to decrypt.” And that is practically how E2EE operates on other messaging apps where it is available.

However, not everyone is getting access to E2EE for one-to-one calls. Microsoft noted in the recent announcement post that the new security feature will be disabled by default for all Teams users. IT admins will have to configure its settings, policies on using it, and select which users can have access to E2EE calls.

Users will have to install the latest version of Teams desktop client on Windows and Mac to get the newly added feature. Microsoft also noted that selected members to use E2EE for one-to-one calls may lose access to this feature eventually if IT admins disable the function for them.

In a sample image Microsoft provided, Teams users will know if a one-to-one call is encrypted through an indicator displayed on the call window that reads: “End-to-end encryption enabled for this call.” Users on both ends of the call will also be given matching verification numbers to make sure E2EE is properly working.

Since the main point of adding E2EE for one-to-one calls is to keep it secure and private, Teams users will not be able to use certain features during a protected call. That includes call recording, live caption and transcription, call transfer, call park, call merge, transfer the call to another device, and adding another participant to a one-to-one call to make it a group conversation.

Photo by Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash