WhatsApp said today that its messages are protected and that no third party can access them.
New Delhi:
Social networking platform WhatsApp said today that its messages are secure and that no third party can access them – a claim that has come amid speculation about how the Narcotics Control Bureau has managed to accessing old posts during his investigation into the Bollywood drug angle, an offshoot of the Sushant Singh Rajput case. The central agency summoned actors Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor based on talks dating back to 2017, accessed from the cell phone of talented agent Jaya Saha,
Jaya Saha was the talent manager of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on June 14.
“WhatsApp protects your messages with end-to-end encryption so that only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what is being sent, and no one in between can access it, not even WhatsApp. It is important to remember that people register on WhatsApp using only a phone number, and WhatsApp does not have access to the content of your message, ”said a spokesperson for WhastApp.
“WhatsApp follows the advice provided by operating system manufacturers for on-device storage and we encourage people to take advantage of all the security features provided by operating systems such as strong passwords or Biometric identifiers to prevent third parties from accessing content stored on the device, ”the spokesperson added.
Many believe the messages were accessed using the mobile phone cloning technique that has been around since 2005. A cloned phone can access WhatsApp backup chats, which are not encrypted, wherever they are stored, Google Drive or iCloud.
Cloning is a technique by which the data and cellular identity of the target phone is copied to a new phone. Currently, this can be done through an app even without access to the target phone. The process also enables the transfer of the IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) number which is unique in nature.
While this is not legal for individuals, authorities can use a forensic method to legitimately access data stored on phones.
Deepika Padukone and her husband, actor Ranveer Singh, returned from Goa where they were working tonight. Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor will likely be questioned on Saturday.
Two other actors, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh, were also summoned by BCN after questioning Sushant Rajput’s friend actor Rhea Chakraborty.
Actor Rakul Preet Singh, who was scheduled to appear before the agency today, will be questioned tomorrow. Sara Ali Khan, who also returned from Goa today, will likely be interviewed on Saturday.
