Is WhatsApp Compromising with your private data?

Is WhatsApp Compromising with your private data?

The WhatsApp privacy policy faces questions on their capabilities and the officials explained how the privacy policy works for WhatsApp accounts.

Recently in January 2021, WhatsApp updated their privacy policy. The Facebook-owned WhatsApp authorities claimed that the 'end to end encryption" is securing the privacy of the users.

India alone provides 200 million WhatsApp users, and with its advanced features, it has become a primary application to communicate.

This article shall discuss the security questions raised on WhatsApp's policy of privacy and the replies their officers have provided.

What is end-to-end encryption? Why should it matter to you?

The end to end encryption feature of WhatsApp ensures only persons in the conversation can see and read the messages, not anyone else, i.e. the sender and the receiver of the messages. It ensures, not even the WhatsApp management can read those messages.

It claimed that when WhatsApp is installed, the process of encryption is initiated on the smartphone, There are two keys - in the private key, it remains with the user on the phone, whereas, the public key is transmitted through the server to the receiver.

WhatsApp also claimed that the only use of the server is to transmit encrypted messages. Only the private key of the receiver can unlock the messages when no third party can read the messages.

Is the data back-up data secured?

WhatsApp makes sure that the primary responsibility for privacy is on the user because they are the users who choose to store the backup on Google Drive or iCloud.

In their words, the users are the ultimate owners of the messages, when they connect a third party service (Google Drive or iCloud) to store the data backup of the WhatsApp conversation, the data is being shared with such other party under the hands of the user, therefore it is not on the WhatsApp Server anymore.

Though the backed up data on iOS or Android are encrypted in transit, but it's not end-to-end. However, Alan Kao, a software Engineer at WhatsApp assured that Apple and Google, both take the best care of the user's privacy.

Should you use third-party apps to customize WhatsApp?

Some users love the fancy look, therefore, they use a third party application on WhatsApp for a makeover to WhatsApp themes, fonts, icon etc. This is unsafe and WhatsApp recommends being careful about the third-party app because here you are giving access to the chats on WhatsApp, and that may result in a risk on your privacy.

Alan, on behalf of the WhatsApp team, warned the users that the third parties pretending to be duplicate or original WhatsApp can be a scam and your data gets at risk if you give access to such apps to your WhatsApp conversation.

He added that WhatsApp is trying its best to provide security to the users but even the user has to co-ordinate along. If the phone is not protected, it is an extra hindrance to the privacy protection of WhatsApp.

On the matter of possible misuse or hacking through third-party theme apps, keyboard apps, Alan explained that if a user installs a keyboard app, which could potentially be vulnerable to hacking, WhatsApp cannot do much to protect the data.

He further stressed that users' messages are encrypted in transit. That's why it's very important to use trusted applications.

On the issue of possible misuse or hacking through third-party keyboard apps, the WhatsApp engineer said that if a user has installed a keyboard app, which could potentially be vulnerable to hacking, WhatsApp cannot do much to protect the data. He further stressed that users' messages are encrypted in transit. That's why it's very important to use trusted applications, he added.

Giving an example of a third-party app named "WhatsApp+", which gave some extra features to the WhatsApp users like hiding the last seen still tracking the persona on contact when they were last online, adding new wallpaper and fonts etc. He explained the technical part which is making the user data vulnerable.

He said, the apps were being distributed as it is the modified version of the WhatsApp APK (used on Android) of the third-party app stores and websites, even though WhatsApp had taken various countermeasures that included even putting an end to the valid subscription of users using such apps.

Answering the questions regarding privacy depending on the Operating system, Alan replied, "If you're using a third-party app that claims to change or modify WhatsApp's Settings, you're putting your privacy at risk".

The experts also supported the fact that the dangerous risk with this kind of 3rd party application is that the hackers can alter the WhatsApp APK and add their code to record the chats and send them to their servers. Even if this happens, being a general user, you may never come to know.

It was pretty clear that it is a two-way matter, WhatsApp has a privacy policy that is subject to the user behaviour of protecting the device from probably danger to the privacy system.