8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and Privacy
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 3 billion users. But its omnipresence also makes it a target for attackers. In December, security researchers documented a new form of account hijacking called GhostPairing, which involves tricking users into linking an attacker’s browser to their WhatsApp device.
Meanwhile, in November, Austrian researchers connected billions of numbers to WhatsApp’s contact discovery tool to create “the most extensive exposure of phone numbers” ever, along with profile photos and more.
WhatsApp is protected by end-to-end encryption, the gold standard in security which, when implemented correctly, means only you and the person you are chatting with can read your messages. Behind the scenes, WhatsApp also launched encrypted password backups and enhanced AI technology for privacy.
But there are many features you can use to improve your own privacy and security in the Meta-owned app. Here are eight of the best.
Privacy Check
A good place to start is WhatsApp’s privacy check feature in Settings below Confidentialitywhich allows you to control who sees data such as your profile picture, About information and status. You can also add more privacy to your profile by adjusting the latest Viewed/Online setting on Person.
From here, you can choose who can contact you on WhatsApp by blocking unwanted calls and messages. It’s also possible to specify who can add you to groups, silence unknown callers and manage your blocked contacts.
Messages that disappear
Although WhatsApp is protected by end-to-end encryption, your messages can be read if you are compromised by spyware or if someone physically accesses your device.
One way to help secure chats against this is to make messages disappear, which allows you to set a period of time that texts remain visible before being deleted. Messages can be set to disappear 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days after sending.
Disappearing messages can be set for all chats or for specific conversations. To enable the default feature for new one-on-one chats, go to Settings > Confidentiality > Default message timer and set the message sending delay disappear.
Just keep in mind that the feature requires trust: anyone can screenshot a message, so you can’t guarantee that what you sent will be deleted everywhere at all times.
Two-factor authentication including security PIN
WhatsApp requires your phone number when you create an account, but this can also expose it to various security and privacy risks. One feature that will protect your WhatsApp account from such threats is a security PIN.
PIN works as two-factor authentication to protect your chats from prying eyes. Open WhatsApp Settings. Faucet Account > Two-step verification > Enable or configure PIN. Enter a PIN of your choice and confirm it.
