Productive Use of WhatsApp and Its Security Issues

Rtn Dominic M. Kornu (@qaphui)

(RC Sunyani Central)

What is WhatsApp?

• It is a cross-platform messaging app for smartphones that allows users to send text messages, documents and multimedia files to friends via the Internet.

• It works with a set of open protocols for instant messaging that are broadcast on thousands of servers spread across the Internet.

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Some history? Launched in 2009 February, 2014: Bought by

Facebook for $19Bn January 18, 2016: Free

subscription February 1, 2016: 1 Billion users February 4, 2016: Chat group

increased from 50 to 256 members

April 5, 2016: End-t-o-end encryption introduced

May 10, 2016: Desktop version released

June 23, 2016: 1,100 calls made per second

> 42Bn messages sent per day

Founders: Brian Acton (L) and Jan Koum(R)

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Application

• Education

• Business

– MEST’s Beam service

• Agriculture

– Indian’s agroinformation-based groups

• Relief Services

– Hudhud restoration exercise

• Journalism

• Etc. …

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Productivity tips

• Share relevant messages based on group’s objectives

• limit messages to a max of 10 lines

• Share messages ONLY at agreed times in a group

• Confirm facts before sharing

• READ web links and other information before sharing them

• Be sensitive when sharing certain information – Add descriptions to media you share

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Productivity tips

• DON’T add friends/mentors/associates to a group without asking them first

• DON’T add friends/mentors/associates to a broadcast list without asking them first.

• DON’T engage an individual in a conversation in a group’s page. Kindly PM.

• Being online DOESN’T mean I want to chat.

• Avoid shorthand! (USE correct grammar)

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Productivity tips (Features)

• Mute group/individual chats

• You can use custom notifications

• Mark messages as read/unread

• Create and use a broadcast list

• Star messages you wish to come back to

• Use the search feature to look for specific words in a chat history

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Productivity tips (Features)

• Disable automatic download of images, videos, documents

• Select Low Data Usage for calls

• Use info icon to see who’s read your message

• Use ‘@’ to select a specific member in a group you intend to mention in your message

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Productivity tips (Features)

• Switch off read receipts

• Hide ‘last seen’ time

• Use reply icon to respond to a specific message

• Back up your chats

– Default feature

– Google Drive

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End-to-End Encrytion?

• End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a system of communication where only the people communicating can read the messages. No eavesdropper can access the cryptographic keys needed to decrypt the conversation, including telecom providers, Internet providers and the company that runs the messaging service.

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Security threats/tips

• Web malware

– Use antiviruses (update regularly)

– Ignore e-mail messages informing you of missed WhatsApp calls

• Metadata can be accessed from WA servers

• Reading of stored database of messages on your phone

– Clear database files from phone

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Security threats/tips

• Delete media files from phone

– Locking the app and hiding picture folder from phone’s gallery IS NOT foolproof!

• Verify security code for contacts you chat with

• Restrict access to profile picture

• Deactivate WhatsApp if you lose your phone

• Be careful what you talk about

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New text formatting?

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WhatsApp?

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