Shares in this article
WhatsApp announces a new security feature via Twitter
As the information portal WABetaInfo recently announced on its Twitter account, Facebook is planning some innovations for its popular messenger service WhatsApp in the course of the upcoming updates. In the future, for example, there could be more frequent calls to WhatsApp that would be put back on again immediately. But don’t worry: the calls are not spam or advertising, but a new security measure from WhatsApp that is supposed to verify the owner of the mobile phone. It is not uncommon for criminal hackers to try to intercept the six-digit code when reinstalling WhatsApp and thus gain access to the user’s account. With the new update, this should now be made more difficult.
WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.11.7: what??s new? WhatsApp is developing flash calls, a new feature for automatic verification over calls to log into WhatsApp.
–WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) May 21, 2021
Flash calls as a new, automatic verification method
The so-called flash calls are intended to offer another way of quickly verifying a user when he logs into the app or wants to reinstall WhatsApp. In the course of the new WhatsApp beta update 2.21.11.7, open security gaps are to be closed, because currently hackers only need the six-digit code for verification to access the account.
With the help of the planned, automatic verification method, this should no longer be so easy in the future: WhatsApp calls the phone number of the WhatsApp user to check whether the last phone number documented in the call log and the number via which the six-digit code is being sent was to match. If the numbers are the same, the verification is complete and the user can complete his installation or registration. If the two numbers do not match, the messenger service initiates an immediate interruption of the facility to prevent outside hackers from gaining access to the WhatsApp user account.
According to the WABetaInfo portal, hackers should not have a way of finding out the numbers used, because the numbers used to call and deliver the code are always different.
WhatsApp requires user consent
In order to actually implement the planned verification method, a declaration of consent from the user is necessary, reports WABetaInfo: For example, WhatsApp needs access to the WhatsApp user’s call list and permission to make and manage calls for the new security update. The user must first officially grant the messenger service this authorization – WhatsApp cannot make the automated flash calls on the mobile phone beforehand. The user therefore has a choice: he himself can decide whether to authorize WhatsApp and make the new verification method possible on his smartphone or whether to forego the new security function and not give WhatsApp his consent.
New security function only available for Android
By the way: Not all smartphone users can hope for the new security updates in the future: As WABetaInfo explains, the automatic verification method is currently only planned for Android devices – there will probably be no changes for iPhone owners in the near future. The reason for iOS According to the information portal, WhatsApp sees no possibility of obtaining authorization from Apple to access the smartphones.
It is not yet known when the new function will be available for Android users, because the planned update is currently still in the test phase.
Pauline Breitner / finanzen.net editors
Image Sources: Twin Design / Shutterstock.com, Gil C / Shutterstock.com
–
