• Latest
  • All
  • How To
WhatsApp End-to-End Encryption is Now Live but Ultimately, Security Starts with You

WhatsApp End-to-End Encryption is Now Live but Ultimately, Security Starts with You

April 12, 2016
Infinix Note 50 Pro x Java House Collab

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025
Instagram threads

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025
Infinix Hot 60i Pre-order

Infinix Hot 60i Now Available for Pre-Order in Kenya

July 4, 2025
Windows

Microsoft’s Windows Usage Slumps as Macs, Linux, and Mobile Take Over

July 4, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
Microsoft

Microsoft Slashes 9,100 Jobs in Biggest Layoffs Since 2023

July 4, 2025
NASA

NASA Brings Space Missions to Netflix at No Extra Cost

July 3, 2025
ios 26-facetime

iOS 26 May Pause Video if You Start Undressing on FaceTime

July 3, 2025
apple iphone foldable

Apple Begins Testing Its First Foldable iPhone

July 3, 2025
Mobile Data

Kenya Draws More Tourists as Mobile Data Roaming Soars

July 3, 2025
Axian Telecom Considers Full Acquisition of Jumia

Axian Telecom Is Plotting a Full Buyout of Jumia

July 3, 2025
Cable TV

Kenya’s Cable TV Market Rebounds with 31.5% Growth

July 3, 2025
Premier League and Microsoft Announce Strategic AI Partnership for Enhanced Fan Engagement

Football Meets AI as Microsoft Joins Forces with the EPL

July 3, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

WhatsApp End-to-End Encryption is Now Live but Ultimately, Security Starts with You

Emmanuel Chenze by Emmanuel Chenze
April 12, 2016
in Editorial
Reading Time: 3 mins read
256
1

“Security starts with you” is a controversial statement attributed to an advertisement featuring President Kenyatta in the media at the height of terrorist attacks on Kenyan soil from Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.

President @UKenyatta billboard that reads "Security starts with me. Security starts with you". pic.twitter.com/WdJVZ6wch6 <~#Tumechoka

— The People’s Watchman (@bonifacemwangi) November 26, 2014

However, when it comes to your online safety, that is not even up to discussion. It is true, that statement just describes the state of your security (and privacy) online.

Early this month, Facebook-owned messaging application WhatsApp, started encrypting the over 42 billion messages and 1.6 billion photos shared on the platform daily. The end-to-end encryption, simply put, ensures that no one sitting somewhere in a government office or any other place for that matter can snoop on whatever you send to your church youth WhatsApp group, your family WhatsApp group or to your friend in a far-flung country. You are safe. Ok, that’s a very naïve statement to make. Let’s just say, sort of. On the internet, you are never really safe.

WhatsApp_encryption_2

Why am I saying so?

Screenshots

If you are a Kenyan who is active on social media then you may have heard of Bro Ocholla, a Kenyan internet sensation in late October 2015, thanks to a screenshot of a misplaced chat he sent to a church prayer group. The ever thirsty (for gossip and anything along those lines) Kenyans on social media pounced on it and it went viral. It trended for several days and the real guy even went on air via phone on several morning FM radio shows to clarify the matter. A WhatsApp screenshot got him there.

Then there was the famous #HelloChallenge on Twitter days after UK singer Adele released the first song from her then-unreleased album, 25, Hello. Hilarious as it was, the #HelloChallenge involved all manner of privacy breaches. Someone starts a conversation on WhatsApp on an unsuspecting friend, colleague, family member or even total stranger like an Uber cab driver who just dropped them with the hopes of using lyrics from the song to prank them then share screenshots from the ensuing conversation on Twitter without the direct approval of the other party.

https://twitter.com/BusolaDavid_/status/664219516256276480

While there is end-to-end encryption to all your chats on WhatsApp, you are still not notified every time the person you are chatting with or the people you are sending messages to in a group, take screenshots. This means that the privacy and confidentiality of whatever it is you are sharing is at the mercy of the recipient.

Old school snaps

Whatsapp_Link_Previews

Now, even if WhatsApp introduced a feature where you get notified when someone takes a screenshot of a conversation (as is the case in Telegram’s secret chats) or totally prohibits the taking of screenshots (like in Signal), anyone with malicious intentions can still go the long route of taking a photo of the device with the chat window open. Simple as that.

Backups

WhatsApp does not send your chats to a central server for storage. At least, that’s what they’ve been telling us. Messages, photos, videos and documents you share are stored on your mobile device. WhatsApp, depending on your settings, does daily backups and they are stored on your mobile device. From last year, the same can also be stored on cloud storage service Google Drive. These backups while kept for good intention, are a weak link. Should anyone access your mobile device and transfer the backup folder or gain access to your Google account then it’s over, your privacy goes out of the window.

What do we do now?

Trust.

If you can’t get someone to have a conversation with them face to face then even online it’s still a challenge and last time I checked, there was still no way to circumvent that.

WhatsApp already has over 1 billion monthly active users. There are very many ways that these users can come up with that essentially waters down any gains made in making sure your private chats are just that, private. What other ways can your conversations on WhatsApp be compromised and end up in the eyes of many unintended recipients?

Tags: EncryptionWhatsApp
SendShare146Tweet92
Emmanuel Chenze

Emmanuel Chenze

Emmanuel writes on mobile hardware, software and platforms.

Related Posts

SMS

Kenyans Ditch SMS in Favor of WhatsApp and Chat Apps

July 1, 2025
whatsapp

WhatsApp Is Testing a New AI Tool To Help Users Write Texts

June 23, 2025
whatsapp meta ads

Meta Officially Brings Ads to WhatsApp

June 17, 2025
WhatsApp auto-download media quality

You Will Soon Be Able to Pick Download Quality on WhatsApp

June 10, 2025
whatsapp chatbots

WhatsApp Will Let Users Control Who Can Share Their Status Updates

June 9, 2025
whatsapp-iphone

Your Phone May No Longer Run WhatsApp After This Update

June 3, 2025

Latest

Infinix Note 50 Pro x Java House Collab

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025
Instagram threads

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025
Infinix Hot 60i Pre-order

Infinix Hot 60i Now Available for Pre-Order in Kenya

July 4, 2025
Windows

Microsoft’s Windows Usage Slumps as Macs, Linux, and Mobile Take Over

July 4, 2025
Microsoft

Microsoft Slashes 9,100 Jobs in Biggest Layoffs Since 2023

July 4, 2025
NASA

NASA Brings Space Missions to Netflix at No Extra Cost

July 3, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Abductions and Arrests! Kenyan Government’s Fear and Hate of X Users Makes No Sense

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

More News

iOS 26 May Pause Video if You Start Undressing on FaceTime

Apple Begins Testing Its First Foldable iPhone

Kenya Draws More Tourists as Mobile Data Roaming Soars

Axian Telecom Is Plotting a Full Buyout of Jumia

Kenya’s Cable TV Market Rebounds with 31.5% Growth

Football Meets AI as Microsoft Joins Forces with the EPL

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.