Communications on WhatsApp are now fully end-to-end encrypted, the company announced today, completing an integration that has lasted for nearly a year and a half. The company began rolling out encrypting text messages in November 2014, as part of a partnership with Open Whisper Systems, but those protections now extend to voice calls, video, and multi-party chat rooms, for users on both iOS and Android.

Deploying universal encryption allows for a number of new protections. Once communications with a user are encrypted, the WhatsApp client will now notify the user and refuse to send any unencrypted messages, addressing previous concerns that the system might be vulnerable to a downgrade attack.

It's still hard to say for sure that WhatsApp is entirely immune to warrant requests. New attacks and vulnerabilities are common in the security world, and governments have been known to purchase and stockpile such attacks for law enforcement purposes. WhatsApp's system still manages messages centrally, coordinates key exchanges, and has significant control over the code that runs on both servers and phones, so any attacker with WhatsApp's cooperation would be well-placed to execute any newly devised attacks. Still, such an attack would likely require extraordinary cooperation from WhatsApp, akin to the measures demanded in Apple's San Bernardino case, measures that would be vigorously resisted in courts and elsewhere.

The result is strong security for WhatsApp users, and potentially a template that could be applied to other services going forward. Open Whisper's protocol is open source, and the group has pledged to help other messenger services employ the same protections going forward. "Over a billion monthly active users across the world are now using the Signal Protocol for end to end encryption," Open Whisper wrote in its blog post announcing the change. "Over the next year, we will continue to work with additional messengers to amplify the impact and scope of private communication even further."

https://m.soundcloud.com/whatstech/encryption-what-is-it-exactly-and-who-is-right-about-it
http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/5/11370106/whatsapp-messenger-end-to-end-encryption-open-whisper

Dearest Op what is End-to-end Encryption?

I almost freaked out when I got the msg via whatsapp chat

masterchi:
Dearest Op what is End-to-end
Encryption?

It means msgs u send via whatsapp chat are secured and of which other third parties can't read them.

No information is secured immediately it enters the air, Mark tell us another thing.

Let someone break it down in lay man's English, the post is riddled with technical jargons

grayht:
It means msgs u send via whatsapp chat are secured and of which other third parties can't read them.

What do you mean by third parties?

grayht:
It means msgs u send via whatsapp chat are secured and of which other third parties can't read them.

so third parties could read our messages before?

and they had to quote Nietzche

Paulpaulpaul:
No information is secured immediately it enters the air,

true that.

Some people are accessing it somewhere, for sure.

Pls where can i get fuel

guente02:

What do you mean by third parties?

An example of a third party is an application or a software program designed by a vendor other than the manufacturer of the device or application. For example, the iPhone comes with its own camera app, but there have been camera apps from third parties that offered advanced features such as a self timer and simple editing.

itstpia8:


true that.

Some people are accessing it somewhere, for sure.

Abi, encrypted or not, some will even be intercepted before it arrived it destination

grayht:
An example of a third party is an application or a software program designed by a vendor other than the manufacturer of the device or application. For example, the iPhone comes with its own camera app, but there have been camera apps from third parties that offered advanced features such as a self timer and simple editing.

And hope is this encryption helpful?

guente02:

And hope is this encryption helpful?

Bros, biko I don't work for whatsapp. Maybe u shld ask Mark or query google.com

guente02:
And hope is this encryption helpful?

for keeping personal chats private

Paulpaulpaul:


Abi, encrypted or not, some will even be intercepted before it arrived it destination

Too true.

grayht:
Bros, biko I don't work for whatsapp. Maybe u shld ask Mark or query google.com

*falls from christmas tree*


I was enjoying the conversation (educating)
until I saw this response. Lol! Please, buckle up and answer this question.


It's a new change on Whatsapp, and I was wondering why I got all of the whatsapp notifications, until I saw this post. Really, you've done so well explaining encrption, third parties etc.

JustCurious:

*falls from christmas tree*

I was enjoying the conversation (educating)
until I saw this response. Lol! Please, buckle up and answer this question.

It's a new change on Whatsapp, and I was wondering why I got all of the whatsapp notifications, until I saw this post. Really, you've done so well explaining encrption, third parties etc.

lol.. Thanks bro

well....a gud development

masterchi:
so third parties could read our messages before?

Exactly my question.

Hmm. Ok o.

Good improvement

ojun50:
Pls where can i get fuel

Used or new fuel ? Just go to eBay.co.uk

So u mean Duta will not work again?

It depends on the type of device u're using. this feauture is just like the one on bbm.

I was scared wen I first saw it yesterday , I thought the person am trying to chat with has somehow block me so that he won't see my messages,,, then I was like "why this guy dey do like this, he was trying to ignore my messages wen am trying to give him an important message, abi he mistakenly activate it or something "
But I was relief wen he replied

Encryption?, if you don't have any sinister agenda up your sleeves, you wouldn't bother as to whether or not your chats are being monitored somewhere.
Not even our calls is safe in Nigeria, so to see people going head over heels is beyond me.
What do you stand to gain or lose, encrypted or not?.

Dem no just get wetin dem wan do again ni.

ceejay80s:

Used or new fuel ? Just go to eBay.co.uk

Epic Response

ok. WhatsApp knows that our messages are read and want to be IPad now. So for any security agency to collect any encrypted message, it will either go to court or pay WhatsApp. Good business.

BBM deleted