WhatsApp has announced its latest security feature, where users switching their account to a new device will be asked to verify the move on the old device.
The company said this feature, called Account Protect, will help to alert users of any unauthorised attempt to move their account to another device. The prompt will ask users to “Allow moving your WhatsApp account to another device” with details namely time and device type being used.
Users can click “Do not allow” if they did not initiate the move. They are also reminded that the account will be removed from the old phone when users switch to a new device.
The company cited mobile device malware as one of the biggest threats to user privacy. There are concerns that malware can spy on users’ phones and perform actions such as sending unwanted messages.
In regards to this issue, the company said it has also added checks to help authenticate users’ accounts, claiming that this Device Verification measure will protect them if their device is compromised. No action is required from the user as these checks will be performed automatically.
The company added that it will also be rolling out a feature called Automatic Security Codes based on a process called “key transparency” that allows users to verify right away that their personal conversation is secured. This process also helps to ensure that the user is chatting to the intended recipient.
The company said that some users have been able to verify that messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted by going into the encryption tab under a selected contact’s info and manually compare the generated code on their device. WhatsApp on its Help Centre said if the codes don’t match, it’s possible that the user may have scanned the code of a different contact or phone number.
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