Android 17 Adds OS-Wide ECH to Hide Website Visits From Network Providers
Google announced Android 17 will enforce OS-wide Encrypted Client Hello with ECH GREASE, plus Certificate Transparency by default and carrier 2G disablement.
Google announced Android 17 network security protections headlined by OS-wide support for Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), with ECH GREASE enabled by default so connections to non-ECH servers look identical. Google's Jigsaw noted OkHttp has integrated ECH, letting third-party Android apps adopt the standard. The release also enforces Local Network Protection permission prompts, enables Certificate Transparency by default, and lets carriers turn off 2G by default to prevent downgrade attacks, rogue base stations, and SMS blasters. ECH was previously added to Chrome 117 and Firefox 118 at the browser level only.
- ECH hides destination website names from network providers, with ECH GREASE on by default to avoid traffic differentiation.
- OkHttp integrated ECH, letting third-party Android apps use encrypted client hello.
- Local Network Protection requires app permission to scan or connect to local network devices.
- Certificate Transparency is on by default; carriers can disable 2G to stop downgrade and SMS blaster attacks.
- Products
- Android 17
- Organizations
From the original article
2 min read at thehackernews.com
Ravie Lakshmanan Aug 28, 2026 Cellular Security / Encryption Google on Thursday announced new network security protections in Android 17 to bolster connection privacy, address cellular vulnerabilities, and safeguard the privacy of users' home networks. Topping the list is support for Encrypted Client Hello ( ECH ), a privacy standard that prevents networks from eavesdropping on which websites a user is visiting.
By @TheHackersNews · thehackernews.com
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