WhatsApp Closes Encryption Verification Loophole Used to Detect User Blocks

WhatsApp has closed a security loophole that allowed users to infer if they were blocked by a contact through the app's encryption verification feature, according to a report by WABetaInfo. Previously, some users exploited the encryption key verification screen to check if encryption keys could be authenticated with a specific contact. In cases where verification failed, it was often interpreted as a sign of being blocked, although WhatsApp never officially confirmed this as a reliable method.

The recent update modifies the encryption verification mechanism so it can no longer be used to deduce blocking status. This change aims to enhance user privacy by preventing the security feature from revealing other users' privacy settings and ensuring blocking information remains confidential. WhatsApp continues to offer no official way to confirm if a user has been blocked.

Despite this update, indirect indicators of blocking remain, such as messages showing a single check mark for extended periods, missing profile pictures or "last seen" statuses, failed voice calls, and inability to add the person to new groups. However, none of these signs alone provide definitive proof of being blocked.