BackWhatsApp testing password protection for backups
WhatsApp has been criticised by for not doing enough to secure messages backed up on Google Drive, iCloudWhatsApp is the most sought after messaging platform, with over 2 billion users
PremiumNEW DELHI: Messaging platform WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new security feature that will allow users to password protect their messages and media backups on Google Drive.
The feature was spotted in the app’s beta version v2.20.66 for Android by WABetaInfo, the online portal dedicated entirely to the coverage of the Facebook-owned messaging platform.
Users can access the feature by enabling ‘Password Protect Backups’ in the ‘Chat Backup’ section in app settings. This option is currently available only to users who have updated the beta version.
After the feature has been tested in beta, they are released for rest of the users in a few weeks or months through an OTA update.
WhatsApp has been constantly criticised by Paul Durov, founder of rival messaging platform Telegram, for not doing enough to secure messages that are backed up on Google Drive or iCloud.
In a January 30 blog post, Durov wrote, “Users don’t want to lose their chats when they change devices, so they back up the chats in services like iCloud – often without realizing their backups are not encrypted."
Features are available to those who have signed up for access to the beta version of the app on Android and iOS. After the feature has been tested in beta, they are released for rest of the users in a few weeks or months through an OTA update.
Despite recent security breaches including the Pegasus spyware attack that targeted 1,400 users worldwide, WhatsApp remains the most sought after messaging platform.
On 12 February, Facebook announced that WhatsApp’s user base has grown to 2 billion from 1.5 billion in 2018.
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