WhatsApp messages on Google Drive (for Android users mostly) are not protected by its end-to-end encryption standards, which is also given on the messaging platform’s FAQ section on this webpage.
But, at the time we didn’t think of finding out what happens to chats and media files of iPhone users who save it on the Apple iCloud.
Turns out, the iPhone folks are also not protected by the security standards of WhatsApp, which means your chats, photos and even videos are not safe on Apple’s cloud ecosystem.
The decrypted messages can be accessed by law enforcement, which can have a serious impact on users, especially if the Indian government asks Google of Apple to share users’ WhatsApp data.
This is what the messaging platform has mentioned in its FAQ section:
WhatsApp chat histories aren’t stored on our servers. We can’t retrieve any deleted messages for you. You can use our iCloud backup feature to back up and restore your chat history. Media and messages you back up aren’t protected by WhatsApp end-to-end encryption while in iCloud.WhatsApp FAQ on iPhone
However, it’s worth noting that WhatsApp isn’t making the backup feature mandatory and is merely an option that he/she can make use of. If this revelation has spooked you, the app lets you export chats and mail to yourself as well.
For both Android and iOS users, their Google Drive and iCloud total storage, starting from 12 November last year, did not include the space occupied by backed up WhatsApp messages.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)