One of the most popular social media communication platforms you can use to interact with others is WhatsApp. WhatsApp is very easy to set up and also very easy for internet hackers to penetrate if the necessary measures are not put in place to protect the app from being hacked. The steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked and the steps you need to know will be the focus of this article.
Steps To Protect Your WhatsApp From Being Hacked
Most times Whatsapp are always prone to hackers and can be easily hacked especially where the measures to protect the app are not put in place. Below are the measures you need to take to safeguard your WhatsApp account.
Secure Your WhatsApp Account
Securing your WhatsApp account is among the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. There are some hidden features on WhatsApp that will help users to add a second layer of security to their WhatsApp account. One of the steps to protect your Whatsapp from being hacked and secure your WhatsApp account is by using a two-way verification (two-factor verification) which is one of the security features on WhatsApp. This particular security measure also exists in other social media platforms where you can add additional security to social media handles.
How To Secure Your WhatsApp Account Using The Two-Factor Verification
The following are steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked by using a two-factor verification is as follows:
- The first step is to download WhatsApp on any device you are using.
- Open the WhatsApp on your device and click on the three dots menu on the top right of your screen.
- Then click on Settings,
- Then click on Account
- You will see the two-factor verification
- Select Two-step verification.
- Click on ENABLE button
- Then choose your preferred Six digit PIN and you will be required to enter the PIN twice to confirm.
- Add a recovery Email address that can be used to reset your WhatsApp PIN in case you forgot your pin. But know that this feature is optional although recommended.
- Click Done and you have successfully secured your account by activating two-step verification.
Note that the PIN you should use should not be a number that people can easily guess. You should not use your name, birthday, birth year or a repeating sequence like 123456, 111111 etc.
It is advisable that your six-digit number should contain special characters, numbers and even upper case and lower case characters.
Don’t Share Your WhatsApp Code With Anyone
Not sharing your WhatsApp code is one of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. WhatsApp always sends a six-digit OTP to your WhatsApp number via an SMS whenever you register your phone number with your WhatsApp. The OTP number is always sent as a means of authentication for the person sending the request. The six-digit number that will be sent is generated and sent to your WhatsApp number whenever a hacker tries to register your WhatsApp number on any other device. The hacker will call and try to convince you with tricks to send the six-digit OTP number to him/her.
If you are not aware of the tricks and send the six-digit OTP number to the hacker, they will immediately hijack your WhatsApp account and they will use it to defraud people on your contact. So in order to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked, you should not disclose your WhatsApp OTP to anyone.
On no account will WhatsApp ask you for your OTP, PIN or any other details through SMS, phone call, email, chat or any other communication channel? One of the ground rule users of WhatsApp should note is that you should not share any OTP (one-time password) with anyone especially when such a number was not generated by you. Once you share your OTP, you will be exposed to the risk of being hacked which always comes with unpleasant consequences.
Log Out Of WhatsApp Web
Logging out of your WhatsApp web is one of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. You should note that you can use WhatsApp on your tablet, laptop, PC, and other devices by scanning the QR code from your phone/ If you share your WhatsApp on your laptop, PC and any other device, it is very important that you log out from any of those devices after using WhatsApp on them. This is to avoid unauthorised access to your Whatsapp account. This process helps to avoid unauthorised persons from having access to your WhatsApp account. To prevent easy access and hackers from hacking your Whats App, don’t log in from a shared device.
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Do Not Click On Any Suspicious Link
Not clicking on suspicious links is one of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. Your WhatsApp number can be easily hacked if you click on suspicious links. that is always circulated randomly on WhatsApp by users. You can be defrauded when you release your sensitive information or even funds unintentionally to your WhatsApp contacts whose accounts have been hacked.
Most times, you will find out that the hackers will hack and take over the WhatsApp numbers of your family and friends and they will start using it to send messages to your contacts requesting sensitive information or for financial assistance with the intention to defraud them.
Sometimes, the hackers may even call you with a random number after getting your contact details and other important data from the WhatsApp number they have already hacked and they will start asking you to give them the six-digit number (OTP) that WhatsApp sent to you through SMS. and once you send the six-digit OTP number to them, they will also hack your line.
So avoid clicking on any suspicious link so that you will prevent your WhatsApp number from being hacked. Do not make payments to an unknown bank account without confirming first because this act may lead to loss of funds or even property and other sensitive information. If you keep getting suspicious or deceptive messages from a random WhatsApp number, you can report such a number/ line or block the line.
How To Report / Block A WhatsApp User
The following are the steps you can use to report a suspected hacker or fraudster on WhatsApp:
- On any device you are using, open your WhatsApp.
- Identify and click on the Whatsapp contact you want to report/block
- Click on the three menu button on the top right corner of your screen
- Click on More
- Then click on Report and or Block.
You Can Review Your WhatsApp Privacy Setting
Reviewing your privacy setting is one of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. There are various privacy options/ settings provided by WhatsApp that you can use. Selecting the people that can view your profile picture, status and other details on WhatsApp is another step for protecting your WhatsApp from being hacked. It is advisable to change your WhatsApp privacy settings to contacts only. Contact only means it is only the people whose phone numbers are on your contact list that view your WhatsApp Profile, status and other details.
How To Secure Your WhatsApp Account Through Privacy Setting
The following are the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked.
- Open your Whatsapp on any device of your choice.
- Click on the three menu button on the top right corner of your WhatsApp page.
- Click on Settings
- Then click on Privacy,
- From privacy, you can now select who sees your WhatsApp information on last seen online, profile photo, about, and your WhatsApp status.
Deactivate Your WhatsApp Account Whenever Your Device And Phone Are Stolen Or Misplaced
Deactivating your WhatsApp number is one of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. You need to deactivate your WhatsApp line, once you noticed that you have lost your device or that you misplace it Deactivating your line helps to prevent people from having illegal access to your profile or other things in the room.
The following are the steps you can use to deactivate your WhatsApp number. See the steps below:
- Open Whatsapp on another device
- Click on the three menu button
- Click on setting
- CClick on Account
- Click on Delete my account
- Then enter the phone number and click Delete my account
Lock Your WhatsApp Screen
One of the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked is to lock your WhatsApp screen. Locking your screen will prevent unauthorised persons from having access to your WhatsApp when you give your device to other people to use. The following are the steps to lock your WhatsApp screen.
- Open WhatsAppClick on the three-menu button
- Click on setting
- Click on Privacy
- Scroll down to Fingerprint lock, enable it and choose the preferred time from the options provided.
See What To Do If Your WhatsApp Is Hacked
Once you notice that your WhatsApp line has been hacked, inform all your contacts especially your family members and friends about it.
Also, inform the admin of all the WhatsApp groups you belong to and exit yourself from the WhatsApp groups.
Try to re-register your phone number on WhatsApp to generate a six-digit number (OTP) which will help you to recover your WhatsApp account.
How To Remove A Hacker From A WhatsApp Group
If a WhatsApp number in your WhatsApp group has been confirmed to be hacked, identify the WhatsApp number click on the Whatsapp number and then click on remove.
How To Know If Your WhatsApp Number Has Been Hacked
One of the ways to know if your WhatsApp has been hacked is that you will lose access to the WhatsApp account and you will not be able to chat or post anything using the hacked WhatsApp account.
Also, all your contacts on Whatsapp or the Whatsapp groups you belong to may call to notify you or complain about some unusual posts or requests from your WhatsApp line.
If your experience the above or other unusual behaviour on your Whatsapp account then the chance that your Whatsapp have been hacked is high.
Conclusion
All the social media platforms are prone to hacking. But this article has been able to put in place the steps to protect your WhatsApp from being hacked. The steps to protect such from happening have been discussed.