Here's how to secure your WhatsApp from social hacking
With an increase in online scams and something known as social engineering, it’s pretty easy these days to fall for the trap, thus, hindering our security over the internet. A similar case that surfaced quite recently involves the in(famous) and the world’s richest man -- Jeff Bezos -- becoming prey of hacking via WhatsApp, which led to a compromise of his personal data.
The incident is a clear indication that this could happen to possibly anyone, even you. Such incidents raise the need for maintaining our security and privacy, which we all can do by following our brains and simple steps. Hence, here’s how to secure your WhatsApp account on both Android and iOS from being hacked.
Before that, for the uninitiated, social engineering or social hacking is a type of security threat wherein a hacker is able to manipulate a person into giving out personal information, thus, giving the hacker access to their confidential space, mainly online accounts.
How to secure your WhatsApp account from being socially hacked? (Android, iOS)
You need to follow these simple steps to enable a layer of security over WhatsApp so that you don’t get socially hacked.
- Open WhatsApp on your Android and iOS smartphones
- For Android, click on the three-dotted menu to select the Settings option. For iOS, select the dedicated Settings option
- Select the Account option
- Then go for the Two-Step Verification option
- Tap on the Enable option and then set your six-digit PIN for the same
- There’s an additional step, which is not necessary but can prove to be beneficial. In this step, you can enter your email ID for situations when you forget your PIN and you wish to recover it
Also Read: Jeff Bezos’ phone reportedly hacked by Saudi prince via WhatsApp: Are you at risk too?
In addition to this, we also have simple ways by which you can keep your smartphone safe from the wide concept of hacking. Here’s all you need to know.
How to keep your smartphone safe from hacking? (Android, iOS)
- It’s best to update your smartphones with the latest security updates that come on from time to time
- Do not go for unauthentic apps and download apps from the trusted app stores. Look for reviews, ratings, and even the app developers
- Since your smartphones come with support for multiple biometric options, enable them. In case of passwords and PINs, don’t go for the easy-to-hack ones
- Do not connect your smartphones to unsecured Wi-Fi networks or to public chargers
- You should not open up suspicious links, emails, or files you receive
We hope the aforementioned steps help you keep you and your smartphone from hacking.
