Connect with us

    Hi, what are you looking for?

    Tech

    US Government Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices Over Security Risks

    United States (US) House of Representatives has banned WhatsApp from all official devices as a result of data privacy and security concerns.

    Harry Coker, acting national cyber security (ONCD) Director confirmed this via a statement issued on Monday, June 23 stating that WhatsApp’s high risk classification is attributed to the messaging app’s ambiguous data protection policies, inadequate encryption for stored data, and other potential security vulnerabilities.

    He stated that staff have since been advised to utilize more secure communication platforms, with recommended alternatives including Microsoft Teams, Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime, Signal, and Amazon’s Wickr.

    However, Nick Clegg, president of Global Affairs for Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has strongly opposed the ban.

    He said, “We disagree with this decision in the strongest possible terms, whatsApp provides a higher level of security than the other approved apps.”

    This ban on WhatsApp is not an isolated incident, it follows previous restrictions on other applications, such as TikTok, which was removed from government devices in 2022.

    The decision also comes just months after WhatsApp itself confirmed that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted some of its users, including journalists and civil society figures.

    Spread the love
    Click to comment

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    ad

    You May Also Like

    News

    The United States has reversed its visa restrictions on Ghana after the West African country agreed to accept west Africans deported by the United...

    E-Financial

    Shareholders of Unity Bank Plc have approved the proposed merger with Providus Bank Limited, marking a major milestone in the business combination of the...

    Oil and Gas

    The industrial dispute between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria took a dramatic turn on...

    News

    Federal Government has described as false, baseless, despicable and divisive reports claiming that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against...