4 'of reading04 / 10 / 2021- We dedicate this article to all WhatsApp users, that is, two billion souls or 25% of the global population. We are now so immersed in Whatsapp and other messaging apps that we often overlook the security of the messages we exchange. Fortunately, Whatsapp takes care of our protection.
Such as? Since Facebook bought Whatsapp in 2014, various tools have been launched to protect the information sent and received by users, including the famous end-to-end encryption. Now, the team led by Mark Zuckerberg will allow you to create fully encrypted backups of your message history. The solution will be available on Android and iOS in the coming weeks, but it will be optional to activate it or not.
Why change
The move is due to the vulnerability of current backups on the Samsung Galaxy and other devices that use Android as the operating system: in this case, Facebook hosts all WhatsApp messages on Google Drive. On Apple devices, however, iCloud stores the information.
It was Zuckerberg himself who announced the news in early September, bragging about how Whatsapp is the first messaging app to offer end-to-end encryption of both messages and backups made by users. He commented that innovation was a real technical challenge for the company, as it required an operational framework that worked across different systems.
Beyond encryption
Speaking of web security, another great alternative to surf with peace of mind is to use a VPN extension. Do you know what VPN on Android is? (Well, you can actually install a VPN on iOS and pretty much any operating system.)
It is a platform that allows you to protect and encrypt your confidential data. A VPN finds you IP hosted by a server in the US, UK or even South Africa and temporarily swaps your real IP for that. Among the VPN solutions available on the market, VeePN stands out. This will create yet another barrier between you and the rest of the web to be able to send sensitive information with confidence.
How does it work?
For now, the new protection developed by WhatsApp is only available on the beta version of the app (which you can try by becoming a beta tester). If you have already downloaded it, you can go to settings, click on "Chat", then "Chat backup". There you will find the option “Encrypt your backups”. Simple, isn't it?
After this period of changes and updates required for any new version of an app, we can all welcome this extra layer of security for the information we share on WhatsApp.
Users will be able to generate a 64-digit key which will protect their data. This "super password", on the other hand, can be saved offline, on a password management platform or protected by a second, shorter and more personalized password.
However, be careful: every time a backup is replaced by a more updated version, it will no longer be possible to access the previous one.
If you still have any doubts (it is perfectly normal to have some) about how encryption on Whatsapp works, take a look at the two frequently asked questions we have answered below, or leave us a comment.
How to decrypt chats on WhatsApp?
In reality, you don't really need to find out how to decrypt the WhatsApp database, unless you are a professional hacker. The chats are automatically encrypted in order to respect users' privacy when they are stored. Now, even the backups on your Samsung Galaxy or iPhone will be protected by a similar system.
How to recover deleted messages on WhatsApp?
That's not hard to do, provided you've enabled one of the app's automatic backup settings (daily, weekly, or monthly). If this is the case for you (it doesn't matter if you have your WhatsApp backup on Google Drive or iCloud), just delete the app and install it again. You will be given the option to recover messages from the backup, including any deleted ones. Otherwise, I'm sorry, but it's impossible to get them back!
Do not forget
Thanks to the new encryption resource launched by WhatsApp, you will be able to share intimate or professional messages without fear or worry. It is true, however, that the more protection measures you take, the safer your web experience will be. By now, however, you know what VPN is on android and iOS and how to use it. So you can do like me and install a VPN extension too. Nobody will be able to find out your IP (or any other sensitive data) if you hide it with a VPN for iOS or Android.
If you have to investigate a crime as a forensic scientist on Whatsapp it may be that you are not really into the news, which will make your job more challenging than usual. Otherwise, though, you will certainly benefit from the added level of security offered by backup encryption.