WhatsApp has teamed up with Cloudflare to enhance the security of end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging through a groundbreaking auditing system.

Cloudflare introduced Plexi, a new service designed to verify encryption keys, ensuring that the keys used in E2EE are authentic and properly recorded. Acting as an external auditor for key transparency, Plexi plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of encrypted communication.

This enhanced verification process is especially vital for protecting vulnerable groups like journalists and activists. “At-risk organizations, journalists, and activists regularly rely on Cloudflare to secure their websites, emails, and traffic. Acting as an external auditor for encrypted messaging apps is a natural extension of our values,” said Matthew Prince, Cloudflare’s co-founder and CEO.

With Plexi, WhatsApp strengthens its E2EE system, making it far more challenging for attackers to breach the platform undetected. Users can now communicate with greater peace of mind, knowing their messages are backed by a transparent, real-time encryption auditing system.

This partnership between WhatsApp and Cloudflare raises the bar for digital security. Nitin Gupta, Head of Engineering at WhatsApp, stated, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Cloudflare to enhance Key Transparency on WhatsApp, ensuring our users feel secure in their encrypted sessions.”

Previously, users had to manually verify public keys by checking Key Fingerprints. Now, Plexi automates this process, running verification in the background and simplifying encryption for users.

This is a significant step forward, especially as concerns over privacy in digital communication grow. With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp remains a prime target for cyberattacks. By bolstering its encryption through Cloudflare’s auditing tools, WhatsApp is further safeguarding user data and blocking unauthorized access.