WhatsApp's End-To-End Encryption Can Be Illegal In India and in Other Countries
As we all know that WhatsApp has recently updated its application by adding End-To-End Encryption that will secure your messages. This means that all user calls, texts, video, images and other files sent can only be viewed by the intended recipient, and no one, not even WhatsApp itself, can access this data. This guarantee of user privacy creates new concerns for the government.
he latest version of the app will use security technology that means that messages can't be intercepted as they travel between devices. Encryption ensures that only a message's sender and recipient can read messages, stopping them from being intercepted on their journey.
What actually is Encryption:
Its like something that only you can access with the help of key. Anyone that has this key has the right to access it. This key is actually only known to you and if you wish to share it with someone than that person also can access it. Even a brute force attack wont be 100% able to break it. Similarly, here in WhatsApp's encryption method, the sender’s phone scrambles the message (encrypts it) and only the receiver once verifies it has the right key which is decided by the user, will be able to open it. Even if the government taps through your connection and copies these packets, it’s useless information for them which cannot be utilized at all.
If you ask me, nothing is encrypted or hidden in today's technology world. With the help of brute force software you can crack it but obviously it will take huge amount of time. Even by installing a backdoor or a key-logger can give access to the key and your data will no longer be safe. Not sure if all this will work on WhatsApp encryption method. For now its one of the most secure method that no can break it. But in future there will be solution for this.
Why Government is worried:
Since this is by far the most secure thing that even government wont be able to access it or read by legal authorities which makes it illegal as national security. Since this WhatsApp Encryption feature is not only available in India but entirely in the world. Means no government will be able to access your data. This makes concern for how any legal checks can take place. For example, governments cannot tap communications between potential murders, terrorists or a political assassination. This is something like a weapon that is available to one billion people.
Why its Illegal
According to rules issued by the Department of Telecommunications in 2007, License Agreement for Provision of Internet Service (including Internet Telephony) mandates that private parties in India cannot use encryption that is higher than 40-bits without explicit permission from the government. WhatsApp now uses 256-bit encryption. And aside from this, India mandates private parties share its encryption keys if they want to work in India – which is probably never going to happen considering the huge debate in US federal courts where WhatsApp openly supported Apple against revealing its security mechanisms to the government. Not only India, but almost entirely globally governments have forever asked for encryption keys and several countries have labeled such encryption illegal.
At first i was very happy with this feature that all my chats will be secured and encrypted. And only myself will be able to access it whenever i need. Same with the person i chat. But after knowing the problem that it will cause i don't think that this will be accepted by government of India or any other country. This can lead to access terrorism and many other activity that can be taken place with the encryption feature available in WhatsApp.
What do you think about it please do let us know the in comment section. I would like to know your views on the same.
Cheers!!!
he latest version of the app will use security technology that means that messages can't be intercepted as they travel between devices. Encryption ensures that only a message's sender and recipient can read messages, stopping them from being intercepted on their journey.
What actually is Encryption:
Its like something that only you can access with the help of key. Anyone that has this key has the right to access it. This key is actually only known to you and if you wish to share it with someone than that person also can access it. Even a brute force attack wont be 100% able to break it. Similarly, here in WhatsApp's encryption method, the sender’s phone scrambles the message (encrypts it) and only the receiver once verifies it has the right key which is decided by the user, will be able to open it. Even if the government taps through your connection and copies these packets, it’s useless information for them which cannot be utilized at all.
If you ask me, nothing is encrypted or hidden in today's technology world. With the help of brute force software you can crack it but obviously it will take huge amount of time. Even by installing a backdoor or a key-logger can give access to the key and your data will no longer be safe. Not sure if all this will work on WhatsApp encryption method. For now its one of the most secure method that no can break it. But in future there will be solution for this.
Why Government is worried:
Since this is by far the most secure thing that even government wont be able to access it or read by legal authorities which makes it illegal as national security. Since this WhatsApp Encryption feature is not only available in India but entirely in the world. Means no government will be able to access your data. This makes concern for how any legal checks can take place. For example, governments cannot tap communications between potential murders, terrorists or a political assassination. This is something like a weapon that is available to one billion people.
Why its Illegal
According to rules issued by the Department of Telecommunications in 2007, License Agreement for Provision of Internet Service (including Internet Telephony) mandates that private parties in India cannot use encryption that is higher than 40-bits without explicit permission from the government. WhatsApp now uses 256-bit encryption. And aside from this, India mandates private parties share its encryption keys if they want to work in India – which is probably never going to happen considering the huge debate in US federal courts where WhatsApp openly supported Apple against revealing its security mechanisms to the government. Not only India, but almost entirely globally governments have forever asked for encryption keys and several countries have labeled such encryption illegal.
At first i was very happy with this feature that all my chats will be secured and encrypted. And only myself will be able to access it whenever i need. Same with the person i chat. But after knowing the problem that it will cause i don't think that this will be accepted by government of India or any other country. This can lead to access terrorism and many other activity that can be taken place with the encryption feature available in WhatsApp.
What do you think about it please do let us know the in comment section. I would like to know your views on the same.
Cheers!!!
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