Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has voiced strong criticisms regarding the security of WhatsApp messages, asserting that they are not truly secure.
In a recent post on the X platform, Mr. Durov contended that a significant portion, approximately 95%, of private messages on WhatsApp are ultimately stored in unencrypted formats on Google and Apple servers via backups.
Conversely, WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms, states on its website that its end-to-end encryption is automatically enabled for all chats. This feature is designed to ensure that only the sender and recipient can access messages, preventing interception by third parties, including WhatsApp itself.
The platform's website further elaborates that the encryption protocol secures messages as they leave a user's device, and that the intended recipient is the sole individual capable of decrypting and reading them, with no one in between possessing the necessary key.
Concerns Raised
Despite WhatsApp's claims, Mr. Durov labelled the app's "end-to-end encryption by default" as "giant consumer fraud." He argued that the optional backup encryption feature is rarely enabled by users, leaving their message data vulnerable on cloud storage.
Mr. Durov, who was also the former CEO of VK, pointed out that even when users activate password protection for WhatsApp backups, their messages could still end up in unencrypted cloud backups if the recipients have not taken similar precautions. He added that WhatsApp's practice of storing and disclosing user chat metadata further compromises privacy.
"Apple and Google disclose backed-up WhatsApp messages to third parties thousands of times per year. Meanwhile, Telegram hasn’t disclosed a single byte of users’ messages in its entire 12+ year history," Mr. Durov stated.
Security experts have echoed Mr. Durov's concerns, particularly in light of reports that governments have obtained capabilities to access WhatsApp communications of specific individuals.
WhatsApp is widely used globally, including in Nigeria, by individuals who generally believe their conversations are private and inaccessible to third parties.
Reacting to Mr. Durov's assertions, Elon Musk, owner of X, agreed with the assessment that WhatsApp messages are not secure and suggested users opt for his platform's messaging features instead.
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