WhatsApp (now owned by Facebook), a popular social networking app, as we all know, is very easy to setup. But this simple process also opens your account to some vulnerabilities and threats, if you are not cautious while setting your WhatsApp account. Luckily, there exists an extra defense line to ensure the safety of your account, if your 6 digit activation code is hacked.
However, as noticed in the recent hacking incident against Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos, it was observed that these security measures aren't enough to provide security. But it will somehow provide you an extra safety mechanism if, by any chance, the hacker gets your 6 digit security code. How to ensure the safety of your Whatsapp account? In normal circumstances, getting back to your hacked Whatsapp account is very simple: open the app, and while logging in, the app will send you another 6 digit code.
But the problem arises when the hacker, once having the hold of your account, intentionally puts up wrong verification codes to prevent further login into your account for up to 12 hours. The worst-case scenario arises when the user has not set up the 2 step authentication process, which permits the hacker to use a security pin of their own, restricting the user access to his Whatsapp account for a total duration of 7 days.
Therefore, it is always important to follow 2 basic rules:
- Don't disclose your 6 digit verification code- it doesn't matter if it's your parents, family, or friends. No one ever has a genuine intention to ask your Whatsapp code sent over the SMS, so never consider disclosing the details.
- Set up a 2 step verification process- if in case, your account gets hacked by some reason, 2 step security pin ensures that only the user has the access to the Whatsapp account.
- Open Whatsapp and go to the settings option.
- Select account and hit 2 step verification.
- Setup your 6 digit security pin.
- You will be asked this every time you install your WhatsApp. You can also add your e-mail address as a backup if you ever lose your pin.
