Robi Maddison Tech 08.05.2022 09:Aug AM EDT

WhatsApp Is Working on Device Login Approval To Protect Accounts More Effectively

(Photo : YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a TransUnion report, the number of attempts at digital fraud in the U.S. increased by 25.07% in January-April 2021 compared to the final four months of 2020.

While it is a business' obligation to make sure customers are protected against fraud, Melissa Gaddis, senior director of customer success and a part of the global fraud solutions team at TransUnion, asserts that customers should also be responsible with their data's security.

That includes participating in and adopting security measures like two-factor authentication, which often requires users to authenticate their identity by entering a code texted or sent to them in addition to inputting a password, as per the news story of CNBC.

However, is two-factor authentication really effective? What if the user did not enable such a setting?

There Is an Increasing Number of Scammers in WhatsApp

The popularity of WhatsApp makes it one of the top targets for scammers looking to get illicit access to your account. However, the company made sure to offer its users security options, like two-step verification, so they could protect themselves.

But here's the catch: only a few users actually turn it on for their accounts, according to Android Police. Additionally, users occasionally share their 6-digit two-factor passcode with scammers without meaning to, giving them access to their accounts.

The good news is that as an additional security measure, the Meta-owned platform is now implementing login approval prompts.

WhatsApp Plans to Add More Security to its Platform

In the future, the security feature will display a login prompt on your current device when you transfer your WhatsApp account to a new device. The device transfer procedure cannot begin unless you appear to have approved the request. You can thus refuse similar requests if a scammer tries to enter into your WhatsApp account from a new device.

Other essential information, such as the time and device information from which the request was submitted, will apparently also be displayed in the login prompt window.

Even the current SMS-based login protocol for WhatsApp may soon be replaced by the device login approval window. Android Police also said that this security feature might be integrated with WhatsApp's upcoming companion mode, which will allow you to use your account on a second phone or tablet.

This Safety Feature Is Still in Beta

The device login approval feature is reportedly still in development, and it's unclear when it will be made available to the general public, according to WABetaInfo. It should first be accessible to beta testers on WhatsApp's Play Store channel before going live for everyone else.

Other WhatsApp Upcoming Features

Apart from device login approval, Android Police also noted that WhatsApp is developing a ton of additional new features for its platform to enhance user experience all around.

A means to catalog users who leave a group chat, the option to export your Google Drive backups, the ability to restore deleted chats, are just some of the upcoming features we might expect from the messaging platform.