WhatsApp Unveils Three New Features To Safeguard User Accounts On iOS & Android: Check Latest Updates Here

WhatsApp’s latest security features aim to help users from getting their accounts hacked, impersonated and prevents unauthorised usage as well.

HIGHLIGHTS

* WhatsApp now has three more security features to help protect user accounts and chats.
* The new features help protect WhatsApp users from malware, unauthorised account switching and more.
* These features build on WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption feature and mostly work under the hood.

WhatsApp has announced three new security features for both iOS and Android. The new security features are called Account Protect, Device Verification, and Automatic Security Codes.

Besides the staple end-to-end encryption that prevents interception of messages on WhatsApp, the Meta-owned company’s three new features are supposed to offer further protection from threats.

WhatsApp has added a bunch of new security features that are said to enhance protection for user accounts on the platform. The new features include account check, device verification, and automatic security codes. 

Account protect

Whatsapp let’s you switch your account to different devices. This new feature will essentially check if the person switching accounts is really you. So if you’re switching from an old device to a new one, you will be asked to verify on your old device that it is actually you and not someone else. When this feature is active there will be a pop-up screen with details of switching your account, and whether you choose to allow this or not.

Device verification

WhatsApp has also added a new device verification tool that is designed to help prevent devices from getting infected by malware. It aims to protect the authentication key that basically allows a WhatsApp client to connect to the original server for a trusted connection.

But if the device is infected with malware the authentication key can be stolen and hackers can gain access to the user’s account to send spam, phishing messages and more. Device verification aims to solve this problem by identifying any such activity. This is a built-in tool and doesn’t need any action from users on the outside.

Automatic Security Codes

WhatsApp messages, calls and videos are all end-to-end encrypted. It even has this option that lets you verify if your chats are protected. You can do that by opening the chat and selecting the ‘Encryption’ option. WhatsApp is now rolling out a feature called “Key  Transparency” that will help users automatically verify that the connection is secure. The same can be found under the encryption tab of the WhatsApp conversation. 

Faqs on Security features WhatsApp

1) What are the Three new security features on WhatsApp?

Ans) WhatsApp has announced new security features that aim to give users extra layers of privacy and control over their messages. The Meta-owned messaging app claims that these features will build on the existing end-to-end encryption to offer better safety. The three features introduced by WhatsApp include: Account Protect, Device Verification, Automatic Security Codes.

Account Protect: If you need to switch to your whatsapp account to a new device, WhatsApp may ask you to verify the change on your old device as an extra security check. This will help alert you (refer to the picture above) to any unauthorized attempts to move your account to another device.

Device Verification: This feature helps authenticate your account and protect you if your device is compromised. This helps prevent mobile device malware from taking advantage of your phone without your permission and using your WhatsApp to send unwanted messages. The new feature will help prevent account take over (ATO) attacks. Device Verification blocks the attacker’s connection, while allowing the victim to use their WhatsApp account uninterrupted.

Automatic Security Codes: This feature makes it easier for users to verify that they have a secure connection with the intended recipient of their message. This will be based on a process called “Key Transparency” and will allow users to automatically verify that their conversation is secured.  According to WhatsApp, key transparency solutions help strengthen the guarantee that end-to-end encryption provides to private, personal messaging applications in a transparent manner available to all. WhatsApp has published an open-source library called Auditable Key Directory (AKD). This enables anyone to verify audit proofs of the directory’s correctness.

2) What is Account Protect?

Ans) According to a WhatsApp press release, the Account Protect feature is intended to verify it’s really the user trying to log in when a new device is registered. Essentially, your old device will be pinged for verification when you’re switching to a new device to provide an added layer of security, WhatsApp claims. The Meta-owned company says that this feature can help alert you in case an unauthorised attempt is being made to transfer your WhatsApp account on to another device.

3) What is the 2 nd feature of Security for WhatsApp ?

Ans) The second feature that is new is called Device Verification that is designed to tackle malware, one of the biggest threats to people’s privacy and security in today’s world. Malware have the potential to take control of your phone to send messages. Now, WhatsApp automatically authenticates a user’s account without requiring any action from the user end.

4) What is the third feature of security for WhatsApp?

Ans) Automatic Security Codes help users know who they’re chatting with. The security codes can currently be accessed under a contact’s info in the encryption tab. Now, an automatic feature called “Key Transparency” allows users to automatically verify if their connection is secure. In the encryption tab now, users can check if their personal conversation is secured, WhatsApp says.

Also Read: WhatsApp to let users share status updates to Facebook stories; edit contacts within app

Also Read: New WhatsApp Feature will allow users to lock their personal chats, hide private photos: Here is How

Also Read: How to Secure Your Whatsapp Chat?