Meta, the parent company of messaging app WhatsApp, has announced a browser extension called Code Verify that aims to improve the security of the web version of WhatsApp. The extension works by verifying that the content of WhatsApp Web has not been tampered with. The aim is to make it harder for would-be attackers to compromise the privacy of data or WhatsApp’s end-to-end encrypted messages when using the online browser-based version.
The extension follows the launch of WhatsApp multi-device beta last year. Designed to make it easier and more seamless for users to use information services from devices other than their primary mobile phone. Since the feature’s launch, WhatsApp said it has seen more and more people accessing its services through a web browser, which has created new security challenges compared to apps.
There’s nothing particularly new about supporting security methods for code validation. At the end of the day, it just compares the hash of the code running in the browser with the hash held by a trusted third-party Cloudflare. But its value lies in automating the process, which makes it easy for anyone to understand and use, regardless of their technical knowledge.
Once checked, the browser extension uses the traffic light system to show if there are any problems. Green means everything is fine, orange means you may need to refresh your page, or you have a separate browser extension interfering with code validation. Red means there is a problem, and WhatsApp’s help page says the extension will be able to help users with the problem.
Meta said the extension does not read or access chat messages, and none of this data is sent to Cloudflare. Meta also released the source code for Code Verify on GitHub, opening the door for other sites to take advantage of its security features. The extension is now available for Chrome and Edge, and Meta says a version for Firefox is “coming soon.” The Safari version was not mentioned in Meta’s press release, but its GitHub page notes that support is in the works.