WhatsApp will be getting more security features soon.
The company behind the popular secure messaging app recently announced it is adding three new security features it will be adding in the coming months.
WhatsApp didn't mention in its announcement if it would release these features one at a time or as a group.
WhatsApp New Upcoming Security Features Details
WhatsApp said in its announcement its three new security features, which would arrive in the coming months, are named "Account Protect," "Device Verification," and "Automatic Security Codes."
Account Protect is a feature that alerts users to an unauthorized attempt to move their account to another device, warning them of a possible hack to their account if compromised. It also asks users to verify if they wish to move their WhatsApp account from their main device to another as an extra security check.
Meanwhile, the company added more checks in the form of its Device Verification feature to help authenticate their account. It better protects users from having their privacy compromised if their main device is as well - without any action needed from them.
WhatsApp made the feature in response to malware that allows hackers to execute advance account takeover attacks that send messages using a person's WhatsApp account without the user's knowledge or permission, per WhatsApp parent company Meta.
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The feature works by blocking a threat actor's connection, while allowing the affected WhatsApp user to use their WhatsApp account uninterrupted. WhatsApp users can rest assured that the feature will make their accounts more secure as the virus must get through three parameters before it can steal their victim's authentication key and connect to WhatsApp's server from outside the user's device.
Last but not least is Automatic Security Codes, a feature that lets users automatically verify if they and their intended recipient have a secure connection. Normally, users must manually check if their security codes match by going to the Encryption tab under a contact's info.
With this new feature, users can immediately verify that their personal conversation is secured.
Other Upcoming WhatsApp Features
While WhatsApp is officially releasing three new security features in the coming months, it is also keeping busy by working on more than a few new features for its users to enjoy. One of them is a companion mode for Android devices that lets users use their accounts across multiple phones.
Another feature the company is working on is a bottom navigation bar that gives Android users a quick and easily accessible way to switch between their chats, communities, status, and calls.
Another WhatsApp feature that could appear in the future is a self-destructing group chat feature that allows users to set expiration dates on group chats so they could get deleted automatically, presumably without any more user input. It is unclear if the group chat with an expiration date set will automatically delete itself once the day arrives or if users will get a prompt to "clean up the group" instead.
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