By now, many of us know that WhatsApp chats come with end-to-end-encryption which prevents unwanted digital intruders from having a look at them. Earlier in the year, it was revealed that WhatsApp was working to encrypt cloud-based backups for its iOS and Android devices, letting users enjoy increased data privacy.
This differs from usual chat backup methods as the standard cloud chat backups are not password protected. Its newest beta update will allow Android users to encrypt their backups, but there is a major caveat.
As you will need to set a password to successfully encrypt your backups, forgetting the password means you risk losing your encrypted backup files forever. The password requires a minimum of 8 characters and is case-sensitive.
It is said that the encryption will be so secure that not even WhatsApp, Facebook, Google or Apple would be able to access it. You will need to enter the password whenever you restore a backup.
The only saving grace you have should you forget your password would be the 64-digit encryption key, which can only contain numeric digits and lowercase letters between “a” and “f”. Lose this and you can say goodbye to all hope of data recovery.
It is worth nothing that authorities will still be able to access your unencrypted backup files on Google Drive or iCloud if they have a valid search warrant. So if your backup cloud chats are encrypted, the files are technically for your eyes only.
Considering the fact that WhatsApp is testing a multi-device feature, which allows for end-to-end encryption even if a user’s phone is switched off, it would be highly beneficial if cross-platform recovery were to be enabled.
WhatsApp has previously made headlines due to concerns of data exploitation surrounding a renewal of its terms and privacy policy, though it has since released a report detailing how it keeps user data safe.
[SOURCE, IMAGE SOURCE, 2]
