Jakarta, Indonesia – As Indonesians exchanged Eid al-Fitr greetings via WhatsApp this week, security experts are warning of potential risks ranging from account hijacking to data breaches. While the messaging app offers a suite of built-in security features, many users remain unaware of how to activate them, leaving their personal information vulnerable.
WhatsApp’s security settings, though readily available, often go unutilized. Experts emphasize the importance of enabling two-step verification, a feature that adds an extra layer of security by requiring a personal identification number (PIN) in addition to the standard six-digit verification code when registering a phone number with the service. Users are cautioned against sharing this PIN with anyone. To activate this feature, users navigate to Settings, then Account, then Two-Step Verification, where they create a six-digit PIN and provide a personal email address for recovery purposes.
App Lock functionality provides another layer of protection by requiring biometric authentication – such as a fingerprint or facial scan – to access the application. This prevents unauthorized access to chats and sensitive information. This feature is found within the Privacy settings under App Lock, where users can also customize the locking duration.
Controlling visibility of “Last Seen” and online status is also crucial. By default, WhatsApp displays when a user was last active, potentially revealing patterns of behavior. Users can adjust these settings in Privacy > Last seen & online, choosing to share this information with all contacts, only some contacts, or no one at all.
To mitigate unwanted group additions, WhatsApp allows users to limit who can add them to groups. This feature, found under Privacy > Groups, offers options to restrict group invitations to only contacts or to disable them entirely, preventing users from being added to unfamiliar or potentially malicious groups.
Users should also regularly review linked devices associated with their WhatsApp account. This feature, accessible through WhatsApp Web settings under Linked Devices, displays a list of all devices currently logged into the account. Any unrecognized devices should be immediately disconnected to prevent unauthorized access.
WhatsApp also offers Security Notifications, which alert users to changes in security codes during conversations. This feature, activated under Account > Security Notifications, provides an additional layer of monitoring for potential security breaches. By enabling “Indicate security notifications on this device,” users receive alerts when a contact’s security code changes, indicating a possible re-registration or compromise of their account.
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