A novelty is introduced for the popular messaging application Whatsapp of Meta. It’s about the connection, with the possibility of using a proxy server service. This support for a proxy connection works without giving up the security offered by WhatsApp, including end-to-end message encryption. Message content will not be visible to proxy servers.
” Choosing a proxy allows you to connect to WhatApp through servers created by volunteers and organizations from around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely “, writes WhatsApp.
Directly in the application, support for a proxy connection is new for WhatsApp. Messaging previously stated that it was not designed for use with proxy or VPN services.
A proxy to choose carefully
A proxy will act as a gateway and can be configured using a server with communication ports 80, 443 or 5222 and a domain name at the IP address of the server which is therefore different from the WhatsApp servers, in order to bypass blocks.
Where applicable, WhatsApp links to the information and source code available on a GitHub repository. For the user it will be necessary to access the application settings and network-level options Storage and data to enter the proxy address. Your IP address will be visible to the proxy provider which is not whatsapp.
” If you have access to the Internet, you can search social media or search engines for trusted sources that have created a proxy “, simply says WhatsApp.
WhatsApp cites Iran as an example
The WhatsApp initiative presents itself as a way to allow everyone to access its messaging service, even in the event of censorship measureswhether the latter is temporary or long-term, as is already the case with many Internet users who can use a mobile proxy network.
In its communication, WhatsApp explicitly mentions the situation in Iran with the lockdowns currently in place. On the other hand, there is no mention of China or Russia.
” Hardships like the ones we have seen in Iran for months are depriving people of their basic rights and preventing them from receiving urgent aid. In the event that these outages continue, we hope this solution helps everyone access secure and reliable communications. “
