What
is two-step verification?
Traditionally
the way you would secure an account is to have a password. While this is OK,
it’s not that difficult for hackers to overcome this particular method, as the
numerous email hacks that get reported in the news prove. Companies such as
LastPass offer more robust password generation and protection, which is
certainly worth exploring, but a quick and easy fix is two-factor
authentication.
As
the name suggests there are two elements to the process. Usually this involves
entering your password as normal and then receiving a text message to your
phone which includes a passcode that you’ll also need to enter. It might seem
cumbersome at first, but the extra step makes a huge difference to the level of
protection on your account.
SETTING UP TWO-STEP VERIFICATION
ON WHATSAPP
Enabling
two-factor authentication on WhatsApp is very easy. First of all check that
you’re running the latest version of the app. You can do this by going to the
Google Play store or Apple App store and see if there are any updates pending.
If you’re running an Android phone then you’ll need to launch WhatsApp then tap the three dot in the top right hand corner. This opens a menu from which you need to select
Settings
>followed
by Account
>Two-step
verification
>Enable.
For iPhone users it’s a very similar process. Open WhatsApp then
select Settings>Account>Two-Step verification>Enable.
Next
you’ll be asked to enter a six-digit passcode, then confirm it by entering the
number again. It’s very important that you remember this number as it is
essentially your new password.
You’ll
then be prompted to enter an email address. WhatsApp will use this to send you
a link that you can use to disable the Two-Step authentication if you ever lose
or forget your passcode.
This
of course is an area where hackers could try to gain access to your account, so
WhatsApp points out that unless you’ve directly requested an email to disable
your account (or received the one from the initial setup), then you should on
no account click on any links in emails that you might be sent, as these could
be fake.
That’s
it. You’re all set up and secure. Now when you want to use WhatsApp you’ll need
to enter the passcode number. It takes a little getting used to, but security
has its costs. Those few extra seconds might seem a drawback now, but losing
control of your account can be an almighty headache, so we think it’s worth the
trade-off.
If
you decide that two-factor authentication isn’t for you then you can always
turn the feature off by going back to the app and selecting
Settings>Account>Two Step verification, then choosing the Disable option.
With
your account secure you're now free to enjoy the app in private.
