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WhatsApp<\/a> can trace the origin of messages on its encrypted platform by embedding the first sender's information alongside content, according to a report submitted to the Madras High Court.
On July 31, V Kamakoti<\/a> a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, proposed two options that could be adopted by the US platform. In the first, it could embed information in an open and visible format; in the second, this would be encrypted, said the report.
\"We provide two suggestions . However, WhatsApp<\/a> Inc may have other methods for extracting original information,\" wrote Kamakoti, who is a member of the National Security Advisory Board in the Prime Minister's Office.
On July 24, the high court had directed Kamakoti to submit his ideas on technical possibilities of tracing origin of WhatsApp messages. ET has reviewed a copy of the submitted report.
In the first option suggested by the IIT-Madras professor, originator information is included along with each encrypted message. This means each recipient of a WhatsApp message or forward will get to know the identity of the person who originally sent the message.
However, in the second option while the originator information continues to travel with each message, the recipient is not able to view it, as the information remains encrypted. But, it can be revealed to law enforcement by WhatsApp, when and if demanded.
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Kamakoti also clarified that if a message is modified in any way - be it through copy and paste, addition of text to media like images, audio or video by any user, then that user becomes the originator.
WhatsApp, which is under pressure from the Centre to allow traceability of content on its platform, said it had nothing new to add in reply to ET queries on the development. Last month, Will Cathcart, global head of WhatsApp, on his visit to India, reiterated the company's support for encryption and how important it is for the product.
Messages sent to Kamakoti did not elicit a response.
The submission by Kamakoti is part of the ongoing hearing on two writ petitions filed in July 2018. While the original petitions sought interlinking of the Aadhaar database with social media profiles for authentication of identity, the division bench of the court, expanded the scope of the petitions to include issues including curbing cybercrime and intermediary liability within the ambit of the legal proceedings.
WhatsApp, Facebook<\/a>, Google, Twitter, the central and Tamil Nadu governments are all parties to the case. Last month, the court allowed digital rights organisation, Internet Freedom Foundation, to act as an intervener in the case. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for August 21-22.
Legal experts feel that the case is not so much about the technical feasibility of any solution as it is about user privacy. \"Many such technical solutions can be made. It's about the actual impact on the underlying user rights, their privacy and free expression,\" said a technology lawyer who did not want to be named.
In his submission, Kamakoti pointed out that WhatsApp has access to user details through the information it collects when the app is downloaded on a smartphone. This includes details on the hardware model, operating system, browser information, IP address, mobile network and phone number of the person.
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WhatsApp可以跟踪消息来源,IIT-M教授说
在他提交,IIT-M V Kamakoti教授指出,WhatsApp访问用户详细信息通过信息收集当应用在智能手机上下载
WhatsApp可以追溯到原点的消息加密平台通过嵌入第一发送者的信息和内容,根据马德拉斯高等法院提交的一份报告。
7月31日V Kamakoti马德拉斯印度理工学院的教授提出的两个选项,可以通过我们的平台。首先,它可以嵌入信息在一个开放的和可见的格式;第二,这是加密的,报告说。
“我们提供两个建议。然而,WhatsApp公司可能有其他方法来提取原始信息,“Kamakoti写道,他是一个国家安全顾问委员会的成员在总理办公室。
7月24日,最高法院已经要求Kamakoti提交他的想法技术跟踪WhatsApp起源信息的可能性。提交了一份报告。
IIT-Madras教授提出的第一种选择,发起者信息包括每个加密消息。这意味着每个WhatsApp消息的接收者或向前将了解人的身份最初发送消息。
然而,在第二个选项而发起人信息与每个消息继续旅行,接收者不能把它,仍然是加密的信息。但是,它可以显示WhatsApp执法,如果要求。
Kamakoti也澄清,如果一条消息被修改以任何方式——通过复制粘贴,添加文本媒体图像,音频或视频的用户,那么用户成为发起人。
WhatsApp,在中央的压力下允许可追溯性的内容在其平台上,表示已经没有需要添加的新发展回复等查询。上个月,将Cathcart WhatsApp全球主管,在他访问印度,重申公司的支持加密和产品是多么重要。
消息发送到Kamakoti并未引起反应。
提交由Kamakoti正在进行的听证会上两个命令的一部分2018年7月提交的请愿书。原来的请愿寻求与社会媒体互连Aadhaar的数据库配置文件用于身份验证的身份,该部门的长椅上法庭,请愿书的范围扩大到包括问题,包括遏制网络犯罪和中介责任范围内的法律诉讼。
WhatsApp,脸谱网、Google、Twitter,中央和泰米尔纳德邦政府各方的情况。上个月,最高法院允许数字版权组织,互联网自由的基础,作为一个调停者。下一个听证会定于8月21 - 22日。
法律专家认为,此案与其说是任何解决方案的技术可行性,因为它是关于用户隐私。“许多这样的技术解决方案。它的实际影响潜在用户的权利,他们的隐私和言论自由,”技术律师表示不愿具名。
在他提交,Kamakoti指出WhatsApp访问用户详细信息通过信息收集当应用在智能手机上下载。这包括详细的硬件模型、操作系统、浏览器信息,IP地址,移动网络和电话号码的人。
