WhatsApp is now a completely secure application
Although since 2014 WhatsApp began to more reliably protect the conversations of its users, it has not been until now when the application of The most widely used messaging service in the world has secured both messages and calls and other content that are sent through its chats. A milestone in the history of this tool that has a direct impact on users, and that could bring you more than one headache with the law and with intelligence agencies of some countries.
The managers of WhatsApp, Yan Koum and Brian Acton have been in charge of confirming the news both through the official blog of the company, as in an extensive report to the publication Wired Thus, they confirm the work they have been developing for years together with Moxie Marlinspike , encryptor and developer of Open Whisper Systems, and in charge of designing this protection that is already active for all users, regardless of the platform from which they write messages: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Nokia Symbian or even BlackBerry
This encryption or protection is generically called end to end or end to end, and consists of coding all the information that leaves a user's mobile until it enters the recipient's with a code that only they know What does this translate into? Simple: only the interlocutors can see the messages and all the content they exchange. Neither WhatsApp, nor cybercriminals, nor spies, nor governments can access the information It is safe thanks to that encryption that only occurs among users whohave updated the application to the latest version, encrypting each message individually and with a unique code in each caseSomething that makes it really difficult (if not nearly impossible) to intercept and decrypt messages.
However, what is truly newsworthy about this measure is that WhatsApp completely protects all your communications Thus, on all the platforms on which it is present, it is capable of encrypting written messages, Internet calls, photos, videos and even recently added documentsNothing can be intercepted and spied on.
These measures will raise some anger among the state security forces, justice and intelligence agencies or government espionage. The case in which the FBI asked Apple to open a back door to its iPhone in order to extract information from them by court order is still recent. However, WhatsApp has also had recent problems in Brazil, where a court requested that they cede data from conversations of a drug trafficker. Although WhatsApp did not refuse to collaborate with the Brazilian justice system, their policy of not storing messages on their servers prevented them from providing such information to the authorities. Now, it will be completely impossible for information to leak out of WhatsApp
In light of this situation, there are already voices that extol and criticize the decision of WhatsApp On the one hand there are those who reject the measure, defending that WhatsApp is used by criminals and terrorists who are now unmonitorable, a position advocated by English Prime Minister David Cameron On the other hand, there are the heads of WhatsApp and many other technology companies like Apple, who prefer ensure privacy and not put all users at risk with back doors or spy systems.
In the daily life of the user this measure will change little or nothing. Just a new identification in the information screen of WhatsApp will let you know if said chat is completely safe, without being able to do anything else about it.
