WhatsApp Brings On End-to-End Encryption, Becomes A Very Secure Messaging Platform

In an effort to protect users from hackers and virus threats, WhatsApp has introduced end-to-end encryption as a default feature which makes the five year messaging app as one of the most secure communication platform available for the public. After the arrival of this new encryption feature, messages that are exchanged between WhatsApp users are completely secure. Even WhatsApp cannot decrypt the exchanged texts.

According to Android Central, as of now, only the Android edition of WhatsApp has been upgraded with the security feature. Very soon the encryption feature will be introduced to the iOS edition. WhatsApp has partnered with Open Whisper Systems, which is well-known for the TextSecure app in order to provide its users with end-to-end encryption.

The Wall Street Journal Blog states that the encryption is so robust that even the law enforcement won't be able to decrypt WhatsApp messages. All the other messaging platforms like Google, Yahoo or Facebook also offer encryption but they hold the authority to decrypt them for law enforcement requirements.

In order to encrypt messages, users do not need to start any encryption feature on WhatsApp. All the text messages that are sent and received are automatically encrypted on the WhatsApp Android app. The encryption is currently not applicable on group messages or messages that contain media files.

Previously, messages sent through WhatsApp from users' device were also encrypted but when they reached the WhatsApp servers the texts could be decrypted which could allow the company as well the government to access them whenever required. With the adoption of new encryption technology, all the texts sent through WhatsApp will directly reach the receiver without halting at the WhatsApp server, where they will be decrypted so that they can become readable. Even if WhatsApp is forced by the law enforcement, it won't be able to decrypt the messages.

Since billions of users are using WhatsApp, the arrival of the encryption feature will only make it a very reliable and secure messaging platform. Incidently, Chiemo Social Messenger has already been offering end-to-end encryption even before WhatsApp.Moreover, it also offers optional graphical password and QR code protection.

According to iDigitalTimes, WhatsApp is not the only service that is offer end-to-end encryption. After the release of iOS, the Cupertino company has notified the government entities that they will not provide them the access to the personal data of the user. Data that have been generated by user like images, documents, text messages are completely encrypted in such a way that neither Apple nor government authorities can access them.