🔒Android 17 Hides Website Hostnames with ECH
Android 17 encrypts SNI in TLS handshakes
TL;DR
Android 17 introduces Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) to hide website hostnames during TLS handshakes, enhancing privacy. Developers must update libraries to OkHttp 5.5.0 for full support.
Android 17 introduces Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) to hide website hostnames during TLS handshakes, enhancing privacy. This update closes an HTTPS metadata gap, making it harder for network providers and snoopers to track which websites users access. Developers need to update their networking libraries to OkHttp 5.5.0 and configure ECH through Network Security Config to take advantage of this privacy feature. ECH is supported by default on Android 17 and later, but apps must be ECH-capable to fully benefit.
Key Points
Android 17 introduces Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) to hide website hostnames during TLS handshakes.
Developers need to update to OkHttp 5.5.0 to support ECH.
Network Security Config must be configured to enable ECH protection.
Android 17 extends an anti-fraud defense by disabling 2G at the radio-hardware level.
Certificate Transparency is enabled by default in Android 17.
Why It Matters
If you're building an Android app, upgrading to OkHttp 5.5.0 is crucial for ECH support. ECH encrypts SNI in the TLS handshake, hiding website hostnames from network observers. However, DNS requests remain visible, and ECH GREASE is used when servers don't support ECH. This update significantly enhances privacy for users but requires developers to update their networking libraries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this matter?
If you're building an Android app, upgrading to OkHttp 5.5.0 is crucial for ECH support. ECH encrypts SNI in the TLS handshake, hiding website hostnames from network observers. However, DNS requests remain visible, and ECH GREASE is used when servers don't support ECH. This update significantly enhances privacy for users but requires developers to update their networking libraries.
What happened?
Android 17 introduces Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) to hide website hostnames during TLS handshakes, enhancing privacy. Developers must update libraries to OkHttp 5.5.0 for full support.
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