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WhatsApp warns free Google Drive backups are not end-to-end encrypted The storage deal might be free for users, but that does not mean communications records are protected in the same way.

Source: Vsoftsystems, 10/09/2018

While Apple iOS users may elect to use iCloud backup storage options,
Android users store theirs through Google Drive -- but alongside the
changes, WhatsApp has reminded users that once communication, chat,
and media is transferred away from the app, end-to-end encryption is
no longer in place.
Some users may think that backup services will have the same level of
protection as the app. However, this is not the case and the reminder
is important for those interested in protecting their privacy.
In WhatsApp support documents, this separation is now explicitly
mentioned.
`Media and messages you back up aren`t protected by WhatsApp
end-to-end encryption while in Google Drive,` WhatsApp says.
More users may now take advantage of backup options -- especially
useful if you lose your mobile device or switch handsets -- especially
as the storage cap has been lifted. In turn, Android users taking
advantage of the 15GB free storage Google offers will have more space
to play with in the future.
However, do not expect the same level of encrypted protection that the
WhatsApp platform offers. Instead, users should implement strong
Google account passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA).
This is not the first time that WhatsApp has said that content stored
in backups is not encrypted, but considering the arrival of the new
storage deal, the warning is now worth repeating.
Effective November 12, the new agreement also requires users to update
backups which haven`t been touched in a year or face permanent deletion.

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