With more than 1 billion active users worldwide, WhatsApp is arguably one of the most popular messaging apps. However, the popularity is that prices and WhatsApp hacks or at least trying to crack WhatsApp accounts are very common. Some aspects of WhatsApp security have been discussed before on our blog. You can check out our old entries to learn how to crack your WhatsApp account via voicemail or how to reset your WhatsApp password to learn more about this topic. However, in this blog post, we discussed some of the steps users can take to protect their WhatsApp accounts from hacking.
Protect WhatsApp with a locked app
One of the most basic ways to avoid WhatsApp hacking is to use lockdown mode to access your account. While WhatsApp doesn't provide us with such features, there are many third-party locking apps that can help protect your account from unsolicited damage. How does locking the app work? It uses the same basic principles as any smartphone, where you can set the mode to unlock the screen. Although entering a mode or password every time you want to access WhatsApp seems cumbersome, consider using it to protect your account.
Two-factor authentication
Maybe some users may not be familiar with two-factor or multi-factor authentication, but it should now be the default. You can enable two-factor authentication with WhatsApp's security settings. With end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication, the possibilities of WhatsApp Hack are reduced.
This type of authentication requires the user to enter the temporary password they received via SMS and their WhatsApp password. Therefore, unless the hacker has your phone number, they will not be able to receive the password, so they will not be able to access your account.
password strength
Even with two-factor authentication, you may need to reconsider your password strength. What do we mean now? Strong passwords are an important element of overall account security. The key is that you don't need to make strong passwords yourself.
For example, you can use the Cyclonis password generator. Cyclonis is a free password management tool with many features to make your life easier. It can generate a strong password for you, or you can store it in a private note section to make sure you never forget it. If you use your app on the desktop often, this password manager might be exactly what you need.
Don't forget to sign out of your account
The HowsApp security approach may vary slightly depending on whether you are using the mobile or desktop version. The desktop version may have some responsibility, especially if multiple people use the same computer. Although it is obvious, once the application is completed, not all users log out of the account on the desktop. So how do you develop a new habit that is good for you? After all, every time you sign in to your account from your PC, the app will notify you that this is a great way to track access to your app. If you receive a notification that someone is logged into your account and it is definitely not you, then this may be the first red flag that someone is trying to crack your WhatsApp account.
If you lost your device
No one wants to lose the phone, but sometimes this happens. While smartphones are currently protected with face recognition or fingerprint scanners, these types of authentication methods do not guarantee that no one can access your phone. Imagine just like losing your credit card. You want to stop anyone from abusing it, right? The same is true for your smartphone and all apps.
If you contact your service provider when you lose your phone, they will block the SIM card immediately. As for WhatsApp, you can email the support desk, and customer service will definitely help you disable your account so that no one can take advantage of it.
What if my account is hacked?
Undoubtedly, sometimes all of these precautions may be ineffective. Sometimes you may encounter WhatsApp Hack when you have to know a range of things you can use to prevent further information from being stolen.
First, if you suspect someone has attacked your WhatsApp account, you may want to remove the app and reinstall it a few times. Some security experts say reinstalling apps at different times of the day will also prevent WhatsApp hacking from causing more trouble.
Removing and reinstalling the app is cumbersome, but you may not have another option. After all, your personal information is more important than this. In fact, some people recommend reinstalling WhatsApp every day, so don't be surprised if you have to resort to it.
Second, if your WhatsApp is hacked, hackers may use your account to send phishing emails and other corrupted content. Therefore, it is best to inform your friends and relatives. You must tell them that they may not reply to messages from your number, especially if they have outgoing links. If you didn't tell them about your WhatsApp Hack, it could lead to further theft of personal data and even more hacking. So this is not just about you, but about being accountable to other users.
Finally, we want to go back to one aspect we have already mentioned, that is to disable the account. While we talk about disabling your account when you lose your device, you can apply this action if someone attacks your WhatsApp account. You can disable your account by contacting WhatsApp's technical support at Suppor@watshapp.com. When you send them an email, be sure to include this line in your message:
Lost/Stolen: Please disable my account
You can also use the above phrase in the subject line of your email. You should then use the calling code to provide your phone number (or +1 in front of your number if you are from the US). Customer service will then be able to help you deactivate your account.
As you can see, removing the app and reinstalling it might be the best way (albeit very cumbersome) to prevent hackers from accessing your account again. At the end of the day, you must be aware that it is important to take some security measures. Even the best locks can't stop a very skilled hacker from entering the target system, so at least you should do everything in your power to make it harder for these criminals to access your personal data.