WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, has introduced three new account protection features to enhance the security and privacy of its users, in line with current expectations. These features, which will be rolled out in a month, will help prevent users from being targeted with malware and unauthorized access.
The “Account Protect” feature will add an extra layer of security to user accounts by requiring a PIN to enter the account. This is useful in events where authorized access to a user’s device accounts can be eradicated.
The next feature is the “Device Verification” feature, which will bar cyber criminals from hacking into an account to send unwanted messages or inject mobile device malware. This feature can help avoid the spread of malicious software, such as the Pegasus espionage software.
The third feature is named “Automatic Security Codes”, which helps in periodically refreshing the security code of a device during message encryption. This can cut down on interception of messages by hackers trying to decrypt the message thread-line.
All three features will be available to both Android and iOS operating system users, but will be unavailable by default, so users will need to enable the feature via app settings.
According to the statement issued by the messaging giant, these newly introduced security features will be part of the pre-announced “Stay Safe with WhatsApp” campaign aimed at winning the trust of users when it comes to their conversations’ security and privacy.
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