WhatsApp’s new ‘lockdown’ settings add another layer of protection against cyberattacks
WhatsApp launches new “Strict Account Settings” that add even more protections against cyberattacks. The feature is designed for people at high risk of attacks, such as journalists or public figures, and automatically blocks attachments and media from senders you don’t know, while silencing calls from unknown contacts.
The new setting limits other WhatsApp features, including disabling link previews, limiting who can add you to a group, and preventing non-contacts from seeing your profile picture, “about” details, and your online status. “You should only enable it if you think you might be the target of a sophisticated cyber campaign,” WhatsApp explains. “Most people are not targeted by such attacks. »
WhatsApp has long offered end-to-end encryption and has further strengthened its security after users were targeted by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, which allowed bad actors to access someone’s device via a phone call. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, then sued NSO Group and was awarded $167.25 million in damages. WhatsApp also ended a spyware campaign last year targeting journalists and members of civil society.
Meta is currently facing a lawsuit that claims the company and WhatsApp can access private WhatsApp chats. Andy Stone, Meta’s head of communications, pushed back on the claims, saying Bloomberg that the lawsuit is “a frivolous work of fiction” because WhatsApp uses the Signal protocol for encryption.
Strict account settings will be rolling out in the coming weeks and you can enable them by opening WhatsApp settings, selecting “Privacy”, tapping “Advanced”, then selecting the option. WhatsApp notes that you can only enable this feature from your primary device, not on WhatsApp for Web.
