With around two billion users, Meta Platforms WhatsApp is the most used messenger service worldwide. However, the great popularity also comes with a high risk, because the service is repeatedly the target of attacks by hackers and cybercriminals. However, there are sensible security tips to ensure the privacy and account security of one’s WhatsApp account.
1. Verify the account in two steps
In order to better protect your own account from unauthorized access, it is advisable to verify the account in two steps. This ensures that only the respective user has access to his own account. “If you enable two-step verification, each time you try to verify your phone number on WhatsApp, you must also enter a six-digit PIN that you have previously specified,” the service said on its website.
2. Profile Settings
If you prefer to keep private data, such as your own profile picture or status information, private and not accessible to everyone, you should adjust your profile settings. In the account settings you can choose whether everyone, only your own contacts or nobody can see the profile picture and status information. In the settings, users can also specify who can see when they were last online or whether messages were read.
3. Group Settings
For a long time, it was possible for each user to add new users to a group, who might then have access to private information. In the settings, however, you can now choose whether anyone can add new members to a group or whether only their own contacts or even only selected contacts are allowed to do so.
4. Touch ID or Face ID
Owners of newer generation smartphones also have the option of securing their account via Touch ID or even Face ID. For example, iPhone users can activate the Face ID function in the settings and specify that WhatsApp can only be used through face recognition. Android smartphone owners, on the other hand, have the option of setting up a fingerprint lock for WhatsApp and can also determine whether the app should be locked automatically after each use or only after a few hours of inactivity.
5. Regular updates
In general, it is important to update the app regularly, as WhatsApp uses this method to repeatedly fix security gaps and problems. WhatsApp often also integrates improved security functions with the help of an update. Therefore, it is recommended to either set the settings to automatically carry out updates or to install them regularly from the Apple Store or Play Store.
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