Keeping your communication apps secure is an increasingly difficult task
these days, thanks mainly to the various scams and hacks that have been
taking place. One strong defense against identity thieves is adding
two-factor authentication which requires your phone and a security code.
Google, Apple, Twitter, Paypal, Yahoo and others already offer this
service and WhatsApp is the latest to join the club. It's an easy way to
ensure your messages remain private, and one we recommend setting it up
immediately. Just follow the simple steps in this tutorial and you'll
have your account locked up tight in only a few minutes.
How to enable two-factor authentication on WhatsApp | What is two-factor authentication?
Traditionally the way you would secure an account is to have a password.
While this is OK, it's not that difficult for hackers to overcome this
particular method, as the numerous email hacks that get reported in the
news prove. Companies such as LastPass offer more robust password
generation and protection, which is certainly worth exploring, but a
quick and easy fix is two-factor authentication.
As the name suggests there are two elements to the process. Usually this
involves entering your password as normal and then receiving a text
message to your phone which includes a passcode that you'll also need to
enter. It might seem cumbersome at first, but the extra step makes a
huge difference to the level of protection on your account.
How to enable two-factor authentication on WhatsApp | Setting up the feature
Enabling two-factor authentication on WhatsApp is very easy. First of
all check that you're running the latest version of the app. You can do
this by going to the Google Play store or Apple App store and see if
there are any updates pending.
If you're running an Android phone then you'll need to launch WhatsApp
then tap the three dot in the top right hand corner. This opens a menu
from which you need to select Settings followed by Account>Two-step
verification>Enable.
For iPhone users it's a very similar process. Open WhatsApp then select Settings>Account>Two-Step verification>Enable.
Next you'll be asked to enter a six-digit passcode, then confirm it by
entering the number again. It's very important that you remember this
number as it is essentially your new password.
You'll then be prompted to enter an email address. WhatsApp will use
this to send you a link that you can use to disable the Two-Step
authentication if you ever lose or forget your passcode.
This of course is an area where hackers could try to gain access to your
account, so WhatsApp points out that unless you've directly requested
an email to disable your account (or received the one from the initial
setup), then you should on no account click on any links in emails that
you might be sent, as these could be fake.
That's it. You're all set up and secure. Now when you want to use
WhatsApp you'll need to enter the passcode number. It takes a little
getting used to, but security has its costs. Those few extra seconds
might seem a drawback now, but losing control of your account can be an
almighty headache, so we think it's worth the trade-off.
If you decide that two-factor authentication isn't for you then you can
always turn the feature off by going back to the app and selecting
Settings>Account>Two Step verification, then choosing the Disable
option.
With your account secure you're now free to enjoy the app in private