How Does WhatsApp Encryption Work?

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world, with over 1.5 billion users. It is also one of the most secure, thanks to its end-to-end encryption protocol. This encryption protocol ensures that only the sender and the intended recipient of a message can see its contents, making it impossible for third parties such as hackers or law enforcement to access it.

WhatsApp uses an encryption protocol called Signal Protocol, developed by Open Whisper Systems. This protocol is based on an algorithm known as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

AES is a symmetric key algorithm which means that both the sender and recipient share the same secret key, or code, to encrypt and decrypt messages. The key is a 256-bit string generated randomly when two users start a conversation with each other. This key is unique for every conversation and changes each time a user sends a message.

When a user sends a message on WhatsApp, it is encrypted using the shared secret key and then sent to the server where it is stored temporarily until it reaches its intended recipient. When the recipient receives the message, they use their own copy of the secret key to decrypt it and read its contents. This process ensures that only those who possess both copies of the secret key can view the contents of the message.

WhatsApp also uses verification codes to ensure that only authentic messages are being sent between two users. Each time a user sends a message, they are prompted to enter a six-digit code which changes each time they send something new. The code must be entered correctly in order for them to be able to send their messages successfully, preventing hackers from sending malicious messages on behalf of another user.

Conclusion:

WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption protocol offers an incredibly secure way for users to communicate with each other without fear of third parties being able to access their messages. It uses Signal Protocol based on AES encryption which generates unique 256-bit keys for every conversation and also requires verification codes before allowing any messages to be sent successfully between two users.