WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#1

Post by uptown » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:10 PM UTC

WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People
wired.com

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#2

Post by ibejoeb » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:27 PM UTC

My understanding of this situation is that, previously, E2E encryption was enabled between Android clients[1]. Now, it is claimed that all clients, for all media types, do it.

1. http://www.wired.com/2014/11/whatsapp-encrypted-messaging/

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#3

Post by pjs_ » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:32 PM UTC

Fuck yeah Moxie Marlinspike. Global capitalist crypto anarchy! I wonder what this means for Signal...

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#4

Post by subliminalpanda » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:33 PM UTC

My question is, how can this be verified?

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#5

Post by motdiem » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:34 PM UTC

Looks great, but I find it a bit weird that there's no Whatsapp announcement - I also wonder if it'll slow down the ability to have the same whatsapp account on multiple devices.

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#6

Post by mordocai » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:35 PM UTC

subliminalpanda wrote: post #4

My question is, how can this be verified?

Watch the traffic go by with a packet sniffer? Verifying that it is done securely is a lot harder, but you can at least verify that things are not being sent as plain text/data.

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#7

Post by neerdowell » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:38 PM UTC

Whisper System's announcement of this: https://whispersystems.org/blog/whatsapp-complete/

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#8

Post by fweespee_ch » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:38 PM UTC

mordocai wrote: post #6

subliminalpanda wrote: post #4

My question is, how can this be verified?

Watch the traffic go by with a packet sniffer? Verifying that it is done securely is a lot harder, but you can at least verify that things are not being sent as plain text/data.

Yeah but that just shows its https.

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#9

Post by wcummings » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:39 PM UTC

>And that’s true on any phone that runs the app, from iPhones to Android phones to Windows phones to old school Nokia flip phones.

Woo! Props to the WhatsApp team for supporting these features for dumbphone users like me.

Does anyone know if/how/where you can verify a users fingerprint?

Re: WhatsApp Just Switched on Encryption for a Billion People

#10

Post by dogma1138 » Tue, Apr 05, 2016, 3:40 PM UTC

mordocai wrote: post #6

subliminalpanda wrote: post #4

My question is, how can this be verified?

Watch the traffic go by with a packet sniffer? Verifying that it is done securely is a lot harder, but you can at least verify that things are not being sent as plain text/data.

Watching traffic is irrelevant, the encryption of the transport (WhatsUp always used TLS for that) is not in question here, this is about end to end encryption and if WhatsUp can either decrypt the data for users or switch them off E2EE at any point without it being noticeable to either end.