We all know that WhatsApp is encrypted end-to-end but even then, this popular chat application can also be hacked.
Hackers know a lot of ways to hack and if your WhatsApp account gets compromised then you will lose a lot of personal data.
Here, we will discuss the way how you can identify if your WhatsApp account has been compromised and if yes how you can secure it.
Let’s start with how the WhatsApp account can get hacked?
Although using the same number for WhatsApp on two different mobile phones is not possible, but all your personal data can be tracked on the WhatsApp web.
All the hackers need is your WhatsApp QR code and the other means by which they can hack your account is by using another device and registering your WhatsApp number. They will activate your account there and will recover every chat.
How will you know if your WhatsApp account has been hacked or not?
To know whether someone is using your WhatsApp account onto some other devices simply click on the three dots that you see on your WhatsApp account. Click on the WhatsApp web tool and then check for all the open session, there you will be able to identify if your account is activated somewhere else.
The next step would be to check for a display message on your WhatsApp account and look out for a message that says, “This phone couldn’t be verified”. If you can see this message, then your number has been registered with another device.
Don’t panic if your WhatsApp account has been compromised. Here’s what to do?
Once you know that your account has been hacked, immediately close all the active WhatsApp session, by doing this all the active WhatsApp applications will stop, and the hackers will lose his access.
After that deactivate your account and write an email to support@whatsapp.com stating the issue that you have faced. If you keep your account deactivated for 30 days, then your account will get deleted automatically.
Delete your app and reinstall it again. After re-installing it you will receive a fresh verification code, and this will also let you log out automatically from all the unauthorized session that you weren’t aware of.
Is there a way to protect your WhatsApp from getting hacked?
There is something called two-way authentication on your WhatsApp app. Go to WhatsApp, press menu, go to settings, then account and then enable the 2-step verification.
By doing this if someone tries to hack your account, he will be asked for a security code which the hacker won’t be aware of.
The wise thing to protect your WhatsApp from people around you is by locking it using an App Lock. Even if someone has your mobile phone through this App lock they won’t be able to gain access to your WhatsApp application.
