WhatsApp Web increases security thanks to Code Verify, a new extension for your browser presented last night by Meta that automatically confirms the authenticity of the code sent by the service to the browser.
This ensures that the code – and consequently therefore the service itself – has not been tampered with. For the user it will be completely transparent: just install it and then it does everything by itself. Specifically, a green check appears next to the address/search bar indicating that the code is correct and authenticated, or a red X appears in case of problems.
WhatsApp notes that although its chat service has always been characterized by end-to-end encryption, the web app is a type of software product that is more exposed to cybersecurity threats than a native mobile app. For example, in browsers, applications that actually allow you to view web apps, you can install extensions, which can be fraudulent; Furthermore, apps have been developed much more recently than the Web, and therefore are based on newer and more robust security principles. Finally, the mobile app code is analyzed and reviewed by independent third parties – the app stores that distribute them.
Code Verify was developed in partnership with Cloudflare, one of the world’s leading internet services companies, from infrastructure to security to content distribution. On the company’s official blog (link in VIA at the bottom of the page), authors Matt Silverlock, James Allworth and Mari Galicer explain in detail the technical operation of the extension, for those interested. An extremely concise summary of the entire procedure can be the following:
Cloudflare has a Hash of the code that WhatsApp users should have. When users run WhatsApp in their browser, the extension compares the hash of the code running in their browser with that of Cloudflare.
As we said, the extension is open-source – or rather it will be, in the sense that the code has not yet been released on the dedicated Meta Open Source portal. In any case, it is already available for download in the Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge web stores, and will soon arrive in the Firefox one.
It is worth noting that the download is completely optional and not necessary to run WhatsApp Web. Meta is keen to point out that it does not collect any type of data or private information from the user.
- Code Verify | Edge extension | Microsoft Store, Free
- Code Verify | Chrome extension | Chrome Web Store, Free
- Code Verify | Firefox extension | Firefox Add-ons, Free