WhatsApp, the most popular mobile application app, used for messaging is primarily owned by Facebook. With its gaining popularity, this messaging platform is soon going to introduce fingerprint authentication feature in its Android 2.19.3 version. In the near future, user will be able to apply this feature by going to the Privacy section under WhatsApp settings.
Everything sounds interesting till now. But one question that arrives in my mind is how much security it will provide to its users? Facebook, being the parent company, has already faced several issues related to data breaches and security. What if Whatsapp does the same?
If the new Android version is unable to recognize your fingerprint then it will collect the biometric information from your mobile phone. Although till date WhatsApp has done a great job by not giving out end- to -end encrypted data of its users to the Indian government, which Facebook couldn’t escape. WhatsApp tightened the user’s security by shifting to cloud platform, where end-to-end encoding is no longer necessary.
The new feature has been introduced for added security for its users, which is actually a noble feature. Millions of people are not only using WhatsApp but also trust it very much. But one thing one must not forget, that it is very easy nowadays to steal fingerprints just like stealing passwords.
How much secured is Fingerprint authentication?
Fingerprint authentication is logically inimitable, as long as hackers do not manage to copy it. The researchers of Michigan State University showed how easily they could print duplicate 3D fingerprints that too at a much less price.
Facebook has been constantly under pressure since 2003, for leaking out user’s personal information of its account holders, to those who gave online advertisement, for better customer understanding. In the year 2015, the scandal broke out that, third-party application taking user data without their consents. What was more shocking, that Facebook was not even aware of it.
One should get more conscious before giving away biometric information, to whoever it may be. Because once the data gets leaked, it’s leaked forever. Even the Supreme Court of India has declared that use of Aadhaar Card by any private company is not mandatory. Since, Aadhaar card holds the biometric information of public, chances of violation remain high.
Since security breaches are matter of prime concern these days, so only time can say how much security will Whatsapp bring with this new authentication feature. Although chances of security breaches are very less compared to other third-party locking apps, as this is going to be an inbuilt feature. The released date is yet to be declared, but it will be soon launched in the market, making available for both Android and iOS platform users.