WhatsApp announced Tuesday that it has two new security features to help prevent accounts from being hacked — upgrading PINs to passwords and allowing users to add more passkeys.
The Meta-owned app also announced that when you receive calls from someone outside your contact list, you’ll get more information and context about the caller, such as whether the phone number is originating from another country.
WhatsApp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The security features come on the heels of other privacy-centered tools implemented in recent months, including a Scam Alert tool to flag incoming scam messages. In late June, the company said it would allow people to create usernames so their phone numbers would not be visible.
WhatsApp, launched in 2009, is by far the world’s most widely used messaging app, with more than 2 billion active users. Next on the list are Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and Telegram.
Opt for passwords over PINs
Since early 2017, WhatsApp users have used a six-digit PIN, either when installing the app on a new device or verifying their account phone numbers. Now, the company is letting you upgrade your PINs to passwords, which can consist of numbers, letters and special characters.
You can keep your old PINs if you want. If you prefer passwords instead, WhatsApp lays out the requirements on this web page: Passwords must be at least eight characters and include at least one number and one letter.
To create a password, go to your WhatsApp Settings, select Account, then Password.
Using a PIN or password is part of the app’s optional two-step verification process. When people log in to the app, they’ll get a text message code (first step) and then provide their PIN or password (second step) to open the app.
Use multiple passkeys
WhatsApp said users can now have more than one passkey when using both Android and iOS devices.
Some people use passkeys instead of PINs or passwords to log in to WhatsApp or to register a new device. Passkeys consist of fingerprints, facial IDs and screen lock codes to keep the app secure and private. So, for example, you could use your face to unlock your iPhone’s WhatsApp, but use a fingerprint to unlock your Android tablet.
To add passkeys, navigate to Settings > Account > Passkeys on phones.
Know more about who’s calling
WhatsApp also announced that people using Android phones can now get more information about incoming calls from unknown numbers outside their contact list. You’ll see if the caller is from a different country and if you have any chat groups in common.
Getting more information about incoming callers is great for privacy, usability and security, says cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg, author of Cybersecurity for Dummies and a lecturer at Columbia University.
“If you get a call and someone says we’re in the same group together, how many people actually check to make sure it’s not a scammer? This helps prevent that kind of scamming,” Steinberg told CNET. “If you’re in the group, (the app) will say you’re in the same group.”
Steinberg said that WhatsApp’s new security measure “definitely improves things,” though it’s unknown if a breach or another event propelled the company to make the changes. Regardless of the motivation, Steinberg said: “It’s always better to have stronger security if there are no side effects.”
Avoid scams
Despite WhatsApp’s upgraded safety features, people normally don’t have their accounts hacked or taken over because others steal their PINs or SMS texts. Cybersecurity platform Keepnet Labs said the majority of hacks result from customers being tricked into giving sensitive information, enabling bad actors to access their accounts.
Meta doesn’t report how many WhatsApp users are hacked each year, but the Federal Trade Commission said an estimated $425 million was lost last year to scams originating on WhatsApp.
