WhatsApp is testing 'automatic security code verification' for end-to-end encryption

With this feature, the app will automatically attempt to verify whether messages have end-to-end encryption without requiring any user intervention.

Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly rolling out an 'automatic security code verification' feature for end-to-end encryption for a limited number of beta testers on Android.

According to WABetaInfo, with this feature, the app will automatically try to verify whether messages have end-to-end encryption without requiring any user intervention.

This process will be called “Key Transparency”, which will enhance the overall security and privacy of users' interactions by checking whether they are using a secure connection or not.

However, WhatsApp still provides users with a manual verification feature in case the automatic verification fails or is not available.

According to the report, this feature is particularly useful in situations where traditional QR code scanning or manual verification is difficult, such as when users need to easily verify encryption remotely.

By automating security code verification, the report said WhatsApp hopes to provide its users with additional security and convenience while verifying end-to-end encryption without any extra effort.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is reportedly working on bringing "third-party chat" support to Android to comply with new European Union (EU) regulations.

The new feature will give users the ability to communicate with each other using different apps.

For example, with the Signal app, someone can send a message to a WhatsApp user even without a WhatsApp account.

The feature comes just days after the European Commission confirmed that Meta fits the definition of a "gatekeeper" under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates that communications software like WhatsApp be used by third parties by March 2024. Allow interoperability with third-party messaging apps.