If WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted then how chats keep leaking out ? What's behind it

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How can WhatsApp chats be accessed despite end-to-end encryption?
WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted yet time and again the chats of Bollywood celebrities are accessed whenever there is a case against them. Why and how does it happen?  


HIGHLIGHTS

🔺Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey was summoned by NCB over her WhatsApp chats with Aryan Khan.  

🔺Earlier WhatsApp chats of several Bollywood celebs including Rhea Chakraborty, Deepika Padukone were leaked. 

🔺WhatsApp has maintained that its chats are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be accessed by anyone but users.  

If WhatsApp chats ar end-to-end encrypted why do movie industry chats keep leaky all the time WhatsApp chats ar end-to-end encrypted nevertheless time and once more the chats of movie industry celebrities ar accessed whenever there's a case against them. Why and the way will it happen? Read Also 11 things which makes whatsapp Account to ban Read Also 8 ways to troubleshoot instagram Read Also 10 ways to instagram followers and business Read Also list that should check before smart watch purchase Read Also how to hide your dp for selected people and self note in whatsapp HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood role player Ananya Pandey was summoned by NCB over her WhatsApp chats with Aryan Khan. Earlier WhatsApp chats of many movie industry celebs together with Rhea Chakraborty, Deepika Padukone were leaked. WhatsApp has maintained that its chats ar end-to-end encrypted and can't be accessed by anyone however users. WhatsApp chats ar end-to-end encrypted, one thing that the Facebook-owned company has invariably maintained. End-to-end cryptography means nobody except for the sender and receiver will scan the messages, not even WhatsApp. thus despite such rigorous rules, why is it that each time there's a movie industry scandal, the WhatsApp chats of the person concerned ar leaked and accessed? lately, there are too several instances of WhatsApp chats of movie industry celebrities leaky. In 2020, WhatsApp chats happiness to role player Rhea Chakraborty were circulated everywhere the net. Then we tend to saw Deepika Padukone heading to the NCB workplace once her chats with associate degree alleged criminal were accessed. the newest case involves movie industry role player Ananya Pandey, World Health Organization was summoned by the NCB once her chats with Aryan Khan, son of monarch Rukh Khan, were allegedly discovered to the authorities. All these incidents create one question whether or not WhatsApp messages ar very end-to-end encrypted? and the way do the chats leak or ar accessed by others? we tend to attempt to make a case for. Is WhatsApp very end-to-end encrypted? WhatsApp has invariably maintained that each one its messages ar end-to-end encrypted. within the given state of affairs, the messages will solely be scan by the sender and therefore the receiver and no person will gain access to them, not even WhatsApp and Facebook. WhatsApp's end-to-end cryptography uses an indication Protocol that keeps the third parties and WhatsApp itself from having access to messages or calls. "WhatsApp has no ability to check the content of messages or hear calls that ar end-to-end encrypted. that is as a result of the cryptography and decipherment of messages sent and received on WhatsApp occur entirely on your device. Before a message ever leaves your device, it's secured with a scientific discipline lock, and solely the recipient has the keys. additionally, the keys amendment with each single message that is sent. whereas all of this happens behind the scenes, you'll be able to make sure your conversations ar protected by checking the safety verification code on your device," WhatsApp's list page states. How will WhatsApp chats be accessed despite end-to-end encryption? End-to-end cryptography, once enforced well, may be a serious business. it's close to not possible, if not not possible, to interrupt into end-to-end encrypted knowledge. So, however do WhatsApp chats leak? the fact, in most cases, is that they do not. Instead, they're accessed. And this access happens merely with: Unlock your phone and provides it to Pine Tree State. In India, the law round the access of private devices like smartphones is hazy. within the America or several European countries, cops need warrant before they'll seize and search phones and computers. Here ar many scenarios: -- The phone is physically accessed and therefore the user is told to unlock it. Once unsecured, all chats ar accessible. Screenshots are often taken, they'll be traced, they'll be shared. -- The phone is physically accessed however it's not unsecured. during this instance, forensics groups will do a number of their magic. WhatsApp chats ar encrypted however till a few of weeks past the Chat Backups that WhatsApp was creating to Google Drive or iCloud weren't encrypted. These chat backups can be accessed exploitation some specialised tools. For example, once somebody has the phone, knowledge on that can be cloned to a laptop so can be accessed exploitation rhetorical tools. -- At identical time, there's associate degree possibility out there to enforcement agencies to approach Google and Apple with a sound judicial writ and acquire the WhatsApp chat backups (unencrypted till recently) from them. These backups then can be taken apart in rhetorical labs. Even currently once the chat backups are often encrypted, the choice needs to be enabled by the user. So, unless you expressly tell WhatsApp to inscribe your chat backups, they'll still be in unencrypted type. Can WhatsApp share knowledge with enforcement authorities? Law enforcement authorities will contact WhatsApp to share the account records of a user in emergency things. the shop contents of any account might embrace "about" data, profile photos, cluster data and address book, if out there. Once letter of invitation is placed, WhatsApp fastidiously reviews, validate and answer enforcement requests supported applicable law and policy. However, obscurity will the list page of WhatsApp states that the electronic communication app shares the message content with the enforcement authorities. it's as a result of WhatsApp doesn't store messages once they're delivered or dealings logs of such delivered messages. The undelivered messages ar deleted from WhatsApp servers once thirty days. The end-to-end cryptography, that is activated by default, doesn't enable WhatsApp to access the chats of its users.

WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted, something that the Facebook-owned company has always maintained. End-to-end encryption means that no one apart from the sender and receiver can read the messages, not even WhatsApp. So despite such stringent rules, why is it that every time there is a Bollywood scandal, the WhatsApp chats of the person involved are leaked and accessed? Of late, there have been too many instances of WhatsApp chats of Bollywood celebrities leaking.

In 2020, WhatsApp chats belonging to actress Rhea Chakraborty were circulated all over the internet. Then we saw Deepika Padukone heading to the NCB office after her chats with an alleged drug dealer were accessed. 

The latest case involves Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey, who was summoned by the NCB after her chats with Aryan Khan, son of Shah Rukh Khan, were allegedly revealed to the authorities.

All these incidents make one question whether WhatsApp messages are really end-to-end encrypted? And how do the chats leak or are accessed by others? We try to explain.

Is WhatsApp really end-to-end encrypted?

WhatsApp has always maintained that all its messages are end-to-end encrypted. In the given scenario, the messages can only be read by the sender and the receiver and no third person can gain access to them, not even WhatsApp and Facebook. WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption uses a Signal Protocol which keeps the third parties and WhatsApp itself from having access to messages or calls.

"WhatsApp has no ability to see the content of messages or listen to calls that are end-to-end encrypted. That's because the encryption and decryption of messages sent and received on WhatsApp occur entirely on your device. 

Before a message ever leaves your device, it's secured with a cryptographic lock, and only the recipient has the keys. In addition, the keys change with every single message that's sent. While all of this happens behind the scenes, you can confirm your conversations are protected by checking the security verification code on your device," WhatsApp's FAQ page states.

How can WhatsApp chats be accessed despite end-to-end encryption? 

End-to-end encryption, when implemented well, is a serious business. It is near impossible, if not impossible, to break into end-to-end encrypted data. So, how do WhatsApp chats leak? The reality, in most cases, is that they don't. Instead, they are accessed.

 And this access happens simply with: Unlock your phone and give it to me. In India, the law around the access of personal devices like smartphones is hazy. In the US or many European countries, cops require warrant before they can seize and search phones and computers 

Here are several scenarios: 




-- The phone is physically accessed and the user is told to unlock it. Once unlocked, all chats are accessible. Screenshots can be taken, they can be copied, they can be shared. 

-- The phone is physically accessed but it is not unlocked. In this instance, forensics teams can do some of their magic. WhatsApp chats are encrypted but until a couple of weeks ago the Chat Backups that WhatsApp was making to Google Drive or iCloud were not encrypted. These chat backups could be accessed using some specialised tools.

For example, once someone has the phone, data on it could be cloned to a computer and then could be accessed using forensic tools.

-- At the same time, there is an option available to law enforcement agencies to approach Google and Apple with a valid court order and get the WhatsApp chat backups (unencrypted until recently) from them. These backups then could be taken apart in forensic labs.

Even now when the chat backups can be encrypted, the option has to be enabled by the user. So, unless you explicitly tell WhatsApp to encrypt your chat backups, they will still be in unencrypted form.

Can WhatsApp share data with Law enforcement authorities? 

Law enforcement authorities can contact WhatsApp to share the account records of a user in emergency situations. The store contents of any account may include "about" information, profile photos, group information and address book, if available. Once a request is placed, WhatsApp carefully reviews, validate and respond to law enforcement requests based on applicable law and policy.

However, nowhere does the FAQ page of WhatsApp states that the messaging app shares the message content with the law enforcement authorities. It is because WhatsApp does not store messages once they are delivered or transaction logs of such delivered messages. 

The undelivered messages are deleted from WhatsApp servers after 30 days. The end-to-end encryption, which is activated by default, does not allow WhatsApp to access the chats of its users.

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