WhatsApp, a popular messaging app, has introduced three new security features to make it harder for people to take over other people’s accounts. These new features are designed to keep chats and conversations more private and secure, just like in-person conversations.
Many of the innovations relevant to that objective have centered on message security, such as introducing end-to-end encryption to chats. The new functionalities claim to make the app more secure for users.
In a blog post on Thursday, WhatsApp announced that they are rolling out three new security features for all users, across Android and iOS devices.
The first new feature is called ‘Account Protect.’ When someone switches to a new phone, they will get an alert on their old phone asking them to confirm the switch. Receiving this kind of alert without notice may indicate that someone is trying to access your account without your knowledge. Unlike before when Whatsapp will just log users out of their old phone without sending a notification to the old phone to confirm the new update. This will help prevent someone else from taking over their account without their knowledge.
The second new feature is called ‘Device Verification.’ This works in the background to make sure that people can’t install harmful software (Malware) to access other users’ messages. WhatsApp is worried about unauthorized apps that can spy on people’s chats, so they have added new checks to authenticate user accounts, and no action is required from users in regard to this.
The third new feature is called ‘automatic security codes.’ This allows people to confirm that they are communicating with the right person. This feature is already available manually, but the new automatic version will be performed by default, with an added tool to check if the connection is safe.
Users may view the code in its present state by going to a user’s profile, but the social media platform will begin to build a concept dubbed ‘Key Transparency’ to make it simpler for its users to confirm the authenticity of the code.
These features have already been rolled out for Android users, but iOS users will have to wait a few more months for the update. By using these new security features, WhatsApp hopes to keep its users’ accounts safe and secure.