WhatsApp: does it’s end to end encryption implementation actually cut people out?

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Category: Cyber Security (Personal)

Firstly, I am a security and privacy freak with my personal security likely being better than what you would find at the British MoD. I try to avoid mass market services especially those owned by the big players and that includes WhatsApp. Occasionally I use it abroad while using a country SIM since it saves on high bills since it uses the internet not GSM which has high call charges while abroad. As soon as I am on the flight back, I uninstall it, remove its historically entry from the app store and remove left over files.

WhatsApp was once independent and then Facebook bought it up. Facebook, WhatsApp and other mass market services are typically free, and are funded by advertising or worse them selling on your data. WhatsApp has no advertising in it, so you have to wonder how they make money out of it. Their security spiel claims it offer end to end encryption by default and they cannot read your messages. It states the encryption is handled by the devices and they do not store messages once pushed to the end device. There is a short sentence about law enforcement access so obviously there is a way around it.

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UK cyber security: to be a leader in cyber security does not mean you are great at it

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Category: Cyber Security (Personal)

Shock horror, I will say it, cyber security in the United Kingdom sucks! From small enterprise to giant enterprise and even central government.

Let’s start off with trains, the first trains were in the United Kingdom and everyone followed. Now our trains are expensive, often late and there are constant track engineering works (the same with “imaginary” roadworks on motorways aka the 50 limit). In the 21st century the rest of Europe has trains which are often faster, cheaper and more reliable. Metro tickets in Spain and Greece are a fraction of the cost of what you pay in London and the service is as good or better.

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If you are going to threaten me and ask for a ransom then please do include a Bitcoin wallet address or email address

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Category: Blog

Spoofed email address and no Bitcoin wallet address - what a pointless email!

"Hello!
My nickname in darknet is des53.
I hacked this mailbox more than six months ago. Through it I infected your operating system with a virus (trojan) created by me and have been monitoring you for a long time.

Even if you changed the password after that - it does not matter, my virus intercepted all the caching data on your computer and automatically saved access for me.

I have access to all your accounts, social networks, email, browsing history.
Accordingly, I have the data of all your contacts, files from your computer, photos and videos.

I was most struck by the adult sites that you occasionally visit.
You have a very wild imagination, I tell you!

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