WhatsApp is more private now: 10 things you need to know

April 6, 2016

Apr 6: WhatsApp last night turned on the encryption within the app. That has created a lot of buzz. But why and how exactly it affects WhatsApp users?

encryptedWell, sit tight and let us explain it all to you in 10 quick points:

1- Starting Tuesday night, all WhatsApp communication is encrypted. This means, now when you chat with your friends, cyber criminals or even government sleuths will not be able to capture the data and read your chats, even if they are stealing all your Wi-Fi traffic. Although, they can still steal, confiscate or snatch your phone and read all your chats.

2- The WhatsApp encryption is end-to-end. This means the keys to encrypt the chats will be stored only with users. Even WhatsApp won't have any key, so the government can't demand such keys from the company that runs the chat app.

Here is how WhatsApp co-founders explained it: "The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp private - sort of like a face-to-face conversation."

3- For added security, you can even authenticate chats on WhatsApp. This, according to WhatsApp, will be done between users through a QR Code or a 60-digit number.

4- The WhatsApp encryption is 256-bit strong. Theoretically, it is impossible to crack it by brute force method. Although, there could be implementation loopholes that government agencies like the NSA in the US can exploit.

5- If you want to use WhatsApp encryption, all you need to do is download the latest version of the app. It is enabled by default.

6- Now everything is encrypted on WhatsApp. Text, your selfies, the funny videos, even the PJs in school group are encrypted. Isn't it wonderful? Cyber criminals won't even be able to sniff out all the "photoshopped" forwards that you receive in your WhatsApp group.

7- The encryption is not expected to have any significant effect on the user experience. The service will, possibly, continue to be fast and free.

8- The big deal about the WhatsApp encryption is that suddenly over a billion people on earth have access to incredibly secure and private communication. This is unprecedented and makes WhatsApp move wonderful and scary at the same time.

9- According to WhatsApp, its latest feature is built using "the Signal Protocol, designed by Open Whisper Systems." The company says that this protocol is specifically developed to keep third-parties like cyber criminals and government officials away from private communications.

10- At a time when the concept of privacy is almost gone, WhatsApp encryption changes the rule of the game. It will probably force other technology companies to offer encryption by default. As WhatsApp co-founders said, "we expect that (WhatsApp-like encryption) will ultimately represent the future of personal communication".

Comments

I DO NOT THINK SO
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

Big Lie
I request my Muslim brothers stop being emotional on whatsapp/ facebook. There is nothing called freedom of speech on social networking sites. Most of Investigative agencies working in our country are only behind Muslims.

Shodhan
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

wow wonderful whatsapp,

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News Network
May 1,2020

Bengaluru, May 1: As Mumbai link surfacing in some COVID-19 cases in Mandya district in Karnataka, JDS leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday blamed the district administration for the situation, accusing it of not quarantining 7,000 labourers who 'returned' from the Maharashtra capital.

"The information we have is that there are about 16,000 labourers from Mandya were working in Mumbai of which 7,000 people reached the district. None of them was quarantined properly," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru.

He claimed the district, a stronghold of JDS, was staring at a major spurt in cases due to the careless attitude of the district administration. "Government should initiate action against those who are responsible for the laxity," he said.

However, he did not specify when the 7,000 workers returned to Mandya. When asked about Kumaraswamy's claim, officials said they have to verify it. Of the eight cases reported from Mandya on Friday, three had a travel history to Mumbai, a major COVID-19 hotspot in the country, officials said.

A Health Department official said four of the fresh cases were contacts of a patient who tested positive on April 8 and admitted to a hospital. After weeks of coming in contact with him, the four were confirmed for COVID-19, an official said. The Three people with travel history to Mumbai had, in fact, brought the body of a man who died of a heart attack there on April 24, the official added.

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News Network
April 11,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 11: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Saturday lodged a complaint with Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood seeking action against four BJP leaders for their alleged communal statements.

In his petition, Mr Shivakumar cited remarks made by BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, former union minister Anant kumar Hegde, MP Renukacharya and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal were ''vituperative statements'' which were offences under Section 153A of the IPC.

The Congress leader alleged that the four leaders ''joined in a criminal conspiracy to create enmity between Hindus and the minority community.''

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News Network
January 11,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 11: India’s second-biggest IT company, Infosys Ltd, said it found no evidence of financial misconduct by its executives following a investigation into whistleblower complaints.

Bengaluru-headquartered Infosys, which earlier on Friday raised its revenue forecasts due to upbeat demand from Western clients, said an audit committee report exonerated Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh and Chief Financial Officer Nilanjan Roy of all allegations, including accusations that the duo prevented employees from presenting data on large deals.

“I’m very happy that CEO Salil Parekh and CFO Nilanjan Roy have emerged from this stronger,” Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani told reporters. “The last two years since Salil has been here the company has changed dramatically for the better.”

Parekh took over as Infosys CEO in January 2018, after his predecessor Vishal Sikka quit following a public row with the company’s founder executives amid whistleblower allegations of wrongdoing.

The company earlier said it expected revenue to grow between 10 per cent and 10.5 per cent on a constant currency basis in the year ending March 2020, compared with its previous forecast of between 9 per cent and 10 per cent.

“We continue to see momentum in the market and we have an extremely robust pipeline driven by segment leaders,” CEO Parekh told a news conference.

“With the strength of large deal wins and digital momentum, we were able to clearly see that we have support to raise our guidance.”

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