WhatsApp Lawsuit Draws Skepticism From Cryptographers, Privacy Lawyers

A recently filed class action lawsuit accusing Meta of secretly accessing WhatsApp messages is being met with skepticism from cryptographers and privacy lawyers. Experts argue that large-scale message exposure is more likely to result from vulnerabilities on the user's end, such as compromised devices or unencrypted cloud backups, rather than a backdoor within WhatsApp itself. Matthew Green of Johns Hopkins University noted the absence of demonstrable evidence of a backdoor weakens the plaintiffs’ case. Legal experts, like Maria Villegas Bravo of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, also question the lack of specific factual allegations regarding WhatsApp’s software and the timing of the lawsuit, which coincides with WhatsApp’s ongoing litigation against NSO Group.

While acknowledging encryption isn't foolproof, technologists point out the lawsuit alleges broader access than typical exposure scenarios like malware. Rival messaging executives, such as Telegram’s Pavel Durov and Elon Musk, have used the allegations to criticize WhatsApp’s security, but without providing supporting evidence. The lawsuit, representing users from multiple countries, alleges Meta “siloed” internal teams to obscure message access and relies on public assurances due to the closed-source nature of WhatsApp.

Meta has strongly denied the claims, calling them “categorically false and absurd” and promising to pursue sanctions. The case is particularly significant given WhatsApp’s massive user base, especially in countries like India and Brazil, where privacy concerns carry substantial weight.

(Source：Decrypt)