How secure are your Whatsapp messages really? Faced with growing threats from cybercriminals, it is crucial to remain vigilant and know how to recognize and close potential security vulnerabilities.
In this article, you will learn how to check if someone has unauthorized access to your Whatsapp account and what steps you can take to protect your private conversations.
Recognize if someone is secretly reading your WhatsApp messages
Since 2016, WhatsApp has protected your messages with end-to-end encryption, meaning they can only be read by the sender and recipient. But be careful: using Whatsapp in the browser always carries risks.
Unauthorized access via Whatsapp Web allows your messages to be read, even if the smartphone and computer are not on the same network. You must therefore regularly check the devices linked to your account:
- Open the app on your smartphone.
- In the chats overview, tap the three dots at the top right (Android) or at the bottom right on “Settings” (iOS).
- Select the “Linked Devices” option and check if any third-party devices are linked to it.
Tap “Linked Devices” in Settings.
Tap “Linked Devices” in Settings.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Tap “Linked Devices” in Settings.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Then check if any unknown devices are linked to your account via Whatsapp Web.
Then check if any unknown devices are linked to your account via Whatsapp Web.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Then check if any unknown devices are linked to your account via Whatsapp Web.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
What to do if an unknown device is linked?
If there are devices in your list that you don’t remember pairing, delete them in case you weren’t the one who added them.
Press and hold your finger on the device you want to delete. In the pop-up window, tap “Disconnect” to disconnect the device.
Press and hold your finger on the device to disconnect it.
Press and hold your finger on the device to disconnect it.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Press and hold your finger on the device to disconnect it.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
How to protect yourself from unauthorized readers
In order for someone to connect to your Whatsapp Web without being noticed, they must have scanned the corresponding QR code in your smartphone application. So be careful who you let use your mobile phone and where you are when pairing devices.
Advice: Enable two-factor authentication in the app settings under “Account”. To do this, you need to set a six-digit PIN that is required every time you open the app. Do not share this PIN with anyone.
Other precautions to protect your account are:
- Be careful with files and links: Don’t open anything that comes from unknown contacts or that seems strange to you. Friends may also inadvertently send spam or malicious links, for example to fake competitions.
- Keep apps up to date: Update Whatsapp and other apps regularly to ensure security gaps are closed.
- Ignoring string letters: Avoid forwarding chain letters, as many are scams.
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