WhatsApp Adds Security Measures to Help Prevent Accounts From Being Hacked

WhatsApp has introduced two new security features to prevent accounts from being hacked, according to the app's announcement on Tuesday. The Meta-owned platform is upgrading PINs to passwords and allowing users to add more passkeys. When receiving calls from someone not in their contact list, users will now receive more context about the caller, such as the caller's country origin.

These measures come soon after WhatsApp implemented a Scam Alert tool to identify scam messages. Launched in 2009, WhatsApp boasts over 2 billion active users as of its recent privacy measures. Previously, users had to use a six-digit PIN to secure their accounts upon installation or phone number verification. Now, the company allows users to upgrade their PINs to passwords containing numbers, letters, and special characters.

Passwords must be at least eight characters long and include at least one number and one letter. Users can continue using their old PINs if they choose. The new two-step verification process requires a text message code and either a PIN or password to access the app. Additionally, users can now add multiple passkeys, which include biometric information like fingerprints and facial IDs to enhance account security.

Furthermore, Android users can now receive more information about incoming calls from unknown numbers outside their contacts, such as country origin and shared chat groups. Cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg praises these enhancements, stating they improve privacy, usability, and security. Nonetheless, he notes that most account hacks occur due to users inadvertently disclosing sensitive information.

Meta has not disclosed the exact number of accounts hacked annually, but the Federal Trade Commission reported losses of $425 million in scams originating from WhatsApp in the previous year.