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WhatsApp introduces screen-sharing during video calls

Tech News / ZBSS / August 13, 2023 / Video calls, Whatsapp

Meta’s instant messaging platform, WhatsApp has introduced screen-sharing, a new feature that will see it compete with video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, among others. The Chief Executive of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, announced this on Tuesday via a post on his Instagram channel. With this feature, users can now share presentations or documents during live video calls just as it is on traditional video conferencing platforms. The feature, which was first released for some beta testers on Android in late May, can be accessed by tapping or clicking the ‘Share’ icon. Users can choose between sharing a specific app or their entire screen. This is similar to how screen sharing works on typical video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Zoom. WhatsApp said the screen-sharing feature has started rolling out on Android, iOS, and Windows Desktop in a phased manner. That means you may not see the feature immediately but should soon. WhatsApp’s many new features The screen-sharing feature is the latest of several features WhatsApp had rolled out since the beginning of this year in an attempt to build a multipurpose app. Just recently, the platform announced a feature that allows users to edit messages on the app. Zuckerberg said with the feature, sent messages can still be edited 15 minutes after it has been sent. Before then, users had to either delete a message or send a correction in a separate message. In another development, WhatsApp also introduced Chat Lock, a new feature that allows users to lock and hide conversations on the app. According to Zuckerberg’s explanation of the feature, Chat Lock will remove a chat thread from the app’s regular onscreen inbox and place it into a new folder that can only be opened by a password or biometric, such as facial recognition or a fingerprint. Calling it “one more layer of security”, Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, added Chat Lock will protect “your most intimate conversations” and hide notifications from them. As part of its privacy package, Meta allows WhatsApp users to encrypt their backups, block the ability to screenshot and make their messages disappear automatically. When a chat is locked, you can ensure that sensitive information and personal data in that conversation remain secure, even if someone else gains access to your phone. This level of control enhances your overall conversation security and protects your privacy. Source: Nairametrics

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Google strengthens Android 14 security to protect against cellular attacks

Google has published a blog post detailing the new security measures in Android 14 to protect users against cellular attacks. The new software gives users even more control over 2G network usage and other connectivity aspects that malicious entities could exploit to intercept voice and SMS traffic. To start off, Android 14 will allow Android Enterprise customers to turn off 2G connectivity on smartphones and tablets. 2G networks pose several risks and can expose users to Person-in-the-Middle attacks. That means 2G cellular network traffic can be intercepted over the air and decrypted using various nefarious tools such as False Base Stations (FBS) and Stingrays. While most major carriers have shut down 2G networks in the US, all existing mobile devices still support 2G. So when no other network is available, they connect to a 2G network automatically. However, as Google notes, this can be remotely triggered in a malicious attack. To avoid any security incidents owing to the risks a 2G network poses, Android 14 will let enterprise customers and government agencies managing devices using Android Enterprise restrict a device’s ability to downgrade to 2G connectivity. Google first introduced the feature to non-enterprise Android users with Android 12. The Google Pixel 6 was the first phone to allow users to disable 2G at the modem level manually. Since then, the feature has rolled out to all Android devices that conform to the latest radio hardware abstraction layer. More cellular protections in Android 14 Android 14 will also tackle the risks of cellular null ciphers. Google says cellular networks often fail to encrypt voice and SMS traffic to ensure confidentiality. The company points out that null ciphers have been used in commercial networks to expose user voice and SMS traffic (such as One-Time Password) to trivial over-the-air interception. Android 14 introduces a user option to disable support, at the modem-level, for null-ciphered connections. This means you can now choose to only use encrypted connections. Google says this functionality will greatly improve communication privacy for devices. “We expect this new connectivity security feature to be available in more devices over the next few years as it is adopted by Android OEMs,” says Google. Source: Android Authority