Cybersecurity

WhatsApp Encrypts User Messages Following Moves by Google, Apple

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Facebook Inc.’s WhatsApp is adding encryption so messages can’t be deciphered when stored or traveling between devices, boosting efforts by technology companies to thwart snooping by hackers and government spies.

WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook for $22 billion this year, is working with startup Open Whisper Systems to enact the change, the companies said yesterday. Open Whisper Systems said in a blog post that it has been working on encryption with the mobile-messaging service for the past six months.