WhatsApp Code Verify is a new layer of protection launched by the platform for its Web version.
What is WhatsApp Code Verify?
WhatsApp Code Verify is a web browser extension that “provides real-time third-party verification that the code running someone’s WhatsApp Web hasn’t been tampered with.”
WhatsApp teamed up with Cloudflare in order to release Code Verify.
“Code Verify is also being open sourced so that other messaging services can enable people to verify that the code they are being served on the web is the same that everyone else is using.”
How does Whatsapp Code Verify work?
The Code Verify browser add-on will work on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. The Code Verify extension is immediately pinned to a user’s Firefox or Edge browser after installation. Users of Google Chrome must, however, pin it themselves. The Code Verify plugin, when installed on a user’s browser, will compare the code that it receives from WhatsApp Web to ensure that it is correct. It will generate a hash (a sort of fingerprint) and then compare it to the hash or fingerprint provided by WhatsApp Web through CloudFlare.
- The green Code Verify icon on the browser of a user who correctly validated the code will light up if it is confirmed.
- If the Code Verify symbol on the browser becomes orange when you visit WhatsApp Web, it’s because another browser extension is getting in the way of its ability to check WhatsApp Web. It can also indicate that because the request has timed out.
- If the Code Verify mark on your browser turns red when you visit WhatsApp Web, it implies there’s a problem with the WhatsApp code being served. The user can then take any measures by turning off other extensions, going to WhatsApp, or obtaining the source code and handing it over to a third party organization for analysis.
