WhatsApp Beta for iOS Gets End-to-End Encrypted Chat Backups
Oct. 7, 2021Afterannouncingend-to-end encrypted chat backups last month, WhatsApp hasstartedrolling out the long-awaited feature on iOS for beta testers. With this feature, you can safely backup your chats on iCloud and protect them with a password. That said, do keep in mind that you will need this password to restore your cloud backup.
End-to-End Encrypted WhatsApp Chat Backups on iOS
Once your backup is end-to-end encrypted, no one except you can access the backupand that includes Apple and WhatsApp. As WhatsAppdetailedin a blog post, the feature lets users utilize a 64-digit encryption key or a password to retrieve the key from the HSM-based Backup Key Vault. According to WhatsApp, the Backup Key Vault has a brute-force prevention mechanism that renders the key permanently inaccessible after a limited number of unsuccessful retrieval attempts.
Anmol from our team has got access to the feature and this is what it looks like:
If you are on WhatsApp’s TestFlight program for iOS, you can check if you have the encrypted chat backups feature fromSettings -> Chats -> Chat Backup -> End-to-end Encrypted Backup. We will also be publishing a guide with all the details you need to know to use encrypted chat backups soon.
Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.
