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So it appears that WhatsApp are in the process of restoring from backup? Why would they need to do that if it was just a DNS issue? And why would the server be

by spuz 5y ago

So it appears that WhatsApp are in the process of restoring from backup? Why would they need to do that if it was just a DNS issue? And why would the server be accessible while backup restoration was still in progress? I feel like there is going to be a lot more to this story when it all shakes out.

pytlicek 5y ago
Who knows. I use PiHole where all DNS records are cached. Maybe this is the reason why it happens to me. And regards Twitter (obviously), I'm not the only one who is facing this weird behaviour.
spaceywilly 5y ago
Once the DNS is back up they need to basically reboot every service. Once server one can’t talk to server two, everything is out of sync and they need to resolve this somehow. They probably have mitigation plans for a few data centers going down, but when it’s all of them at once, that’s going to be a huge pain.
0xFF0123 5y ago
WhatsApp is (at least supposed to be) e2e, so unless they're restoring from every user's personal backup, it seems an unlikely course of action
- sn_master 5y ago
  e2e does not mean FB isn't keeping the messages on their server. it only means what is kept pn their server is encrypted, that's all. e2e has no impact on message expiration.
- simias 5y ago
  I don't know how WhatsApp works but e2e doesn't mean that messages can't be cached/stored in their encrypted form. Actually they almost certainly are since otherwise messages couldn't be delivered to recipients while your phone is off/disconnected.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
avh02 5y ago
Even before E2E - to my knowledge, whatsapp would only store messages until they could be delivered. They never really stored your chats once they made it to their destination - there shouldn't be any "restoring" of backups that brings back messages unless it's just a re-delivery at most. (And honestly, i'd doubt that gets backed up).

by spuz 5y ago

pytlicek 5y ago

Who knows. I use PiHole where all DNS records are cached. Maybe this is the reason why it happens to me. And regards Twitter (obviously), I'm not the only one who is facing this weird behaviour.

spaceywilly 5y ago

Once the DNS is back up they need to basically reboot every service. Once server one can’t talk to server two, everything is out of sync and they need to resolve this somehow. They probably have mitigation plans for a few data centers going down, but when it’s all of them at once, that’s going to be a huge pain.

0xFF0123 5y ago

WhatsApp is (at least supposed to be) e2e, so unless they're restoring from every user's personal backup, it seems an unlikely course of action

sn_master 5y ago
e2e does not mean FB isn't keeping the messages on their server. it only means what is kept pn their server is encrypted, that's all. e2e has no impact on message expiration.
simias 5y ago
I don't know how WhatsApp works but e2e doesn't mean that messages can't be cached/stored in their encrypted form. Actually they almost certainly are since otherwise messages couldn't be delivered to recipients while your phone is off/disconnected.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

avh02 5y ago

Even before E2E - to my knowledge, whatsapp would only store messages until they could be delivered. They never really stored your chats once they made it to their destination - there shouldn't be any "restoring" of backups that brings back messages unless it's just a re-delivery at most. (And honestly, i'd doubt that gets backed up).