[_b8r0]

I've little to add to this, other than the point that the UK's IP Act allows GCHQ (and other UK government agencies) to abuse this issue individually or en-masse against anyone, anywhere, more or less at will.

That's the world we're in now. I respectfully disagree with Moxie's point about key verification. I think the point you raise about easy-to-imagine-scenarios would've been laughed away years ago, but is not only realistic, but also distinctly possible now.

Whatsapp told the original reporter that they had no plans to fix the issue. The question is that in light of mass spying by the intelligence services, what else will Whatsapp not fix?