There are over 1.6 billion WhatsApp customers across 180 countries, and more than a thousand million of them use it daily, making this the maximum famous messaging app out there.
One of the reasons it’s so famous is as it gives more safety than your normal messaging app. With the built-in cease-to-stop encryption, users can rest assured that the simplest man or woman with access to their messages, voice, and video calls is the recipient.
However, this doesn’t suggest that WhatsApp is bulletproof. In May 2019, a focused surveillance attack that exploited the app’s vulnerability was discovered, and it endangered some of WhatsApp customers.
Luckily, there are methods that users can make sure their protection and privateness while the use of this app, so let’s take a look.
Here’s Way for Stay Safe When Using WhatsApp
#1. Security Notifications Will Keep You aware of everything
One of the higher capabilities that WhatsApp has is its protection codes. In short, on every occasion a new tool accesses a person’s present chat, a new security code is created for each the sender and the recipient of messages.
This manner, the users may be confident that they’ve to give up-to-cease encryption.
Security codes can exchange if a user has reinstalled WhatsApp, or if they’ve changed their cellphone.
To verify that everyone chats have to give up-to-cease encryption, users can switch on their protection notifications, and be notified whenever the safety code changes. They can then verify the code by scanning the QR code or comparing the 60-digit codes.
#2. Cloud Backup Is a Potential Security Threat
While the messages and voice and video calls have end-to-end encryption, it doesn’t mean that nobody can get a glimpse of the chat history. WhatsApp has a backup alternative that allows users to shop their chat records in the cloud, either on Google Drive or iCloud.
This is an amazing function that permits users to shop all their messages and get admission to them if they alternate their telephones or need to reinstall their WhatsApp.
The hassle here is that the cloud doesn’t have stop-to-end encryption, making it liable to cyber assaults.
Those who are worried approximately their privacy should disable the cloud backup option.
#3. Two-Factor Authentication Is a Must
Two-thing authentication gives customers an extra layer of protection towards outsiders trying to advantage access to their accounts. It requires customers to not simplest enter their username and password when logging into their accounts but a further protection code as well.
When it involves WhatsApp, users can’t lock it with a password. However, they can still allow two-thing authentication. Users will need to create a 6-digit PIN, manually permit two-aspect authentication, and WhatsApp will periodically ask for the said PIN code.
#4. A VPN to Ensure Privacy
Even if WhatsApp had perfect, bullet-proof encryption, it wouldn’t matter an awful lot if an interloper gained get entry to a user’s cellphone and began tracking their activity.
So, the ones who want to be safe while using WhatsApp have to ensure their gadgets are safe. The fine way to do that is through a VPN.
What is a VPN? A VPN (Virtual Private Network) works via keeping the connection among a tool and a network hidden and encrypted. This way that no outsider can intercept the connection, nor advantage get right of entry to a tool’s apps and data.
#5. Passwords Are Still Important
Since WhatsApp doesn’t have the choice to be locked with a password, most customers don’t certainly think twice about it. This doesn’t mean passwords aren’t critical – it just method the customers need to take some more precautions.
Android customers can installation App Lock apps and keep their WhatsApp account secure, however, iPhone users don’t truly have many options.
The simplest alternative is ensuring that the tool has a strong password or pattern lock.
When the password is strong, unique, and subsequent to not possible to remember, customers can relaxation clean understanding that breaking into their tool is that much more difficult.
#6. Keep the App Updated
Lastly, it can’t be stressed sufficient how essential it is to preserve all of the software programs and apps updated, which includes WhatsApp.
Software updates bring lots greater than only new designs. They frequently come with essential computer virus fixes and safety patches. Outdated software is at risk of cyber assaults because it has known security troubles that could easily be exploited.
All WhatsApp users ought to make sure to usually have the modern-day model of the app.