While all WhatsApp conversations and phone calls between users are protected by endless encryption, this is not possible for backups stored in Google Drive. The copy is encrypted by Google, but Google itself controls the key, so they can access the content electronically.
This is about to change in a future version, as WaBetaInfo has discovered a new security feature that will come to Android's WhatsApp: protect backups. The function is not yet active for users, but is expected to arrive later.
You can protect your WhatsApp backup
A weak point in WhatsApp security is found in backups. While conversations are nailed from end to end, so only participants in the conversation can read, this security is lost when backup copies are made. WhatsApp describes you on its website:
The media files and messages you save will not be protected by the endless encryption of WhatsApp while in Google Drive.
Obviously, future versions of WhatsApp will give you a point between what you should do and not save the backup: you can protect your backups, activate an option from backup settings in Google Drive.
Unfortunately the work is still in the early stages of development, so we do not know how it will work. Given that you are "password protected backups", hopefully WhatsApp lets you select a backup password.
This way, no one without a password can block and, thus, access data in support, even with WhatsApp or Google. Of course, it's going to be normal for you enter your password before recovering with password saving the next time you reinstall WhatsApp.
Via | WaBetaInfo
