PTA urges WhatsApp users to enable two-step verification

Your WhatsApp can be hijacked by anyone having the authentication code WhatsApp provided you, to make sure that you are the owner of the WhatsApp account you are trying to log in. All around the world such WhatsApp hijacking cases have been sighted where a user opens a malicious link and their WhatsApp account gets hacked.

To prevent such mishaps, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has recently provided a simplified procedure for the general public to secure their WhatsApp accounts against hijacking. As most of us already know thatFacebook-owned WhatsApp has a two-factor authentication feature that can secure your WhatsApp account to an extent. Once you enable the two-step verification option, any attempt to verify your mobile number on WhatsApp must be followed by the six-digit PIN that you created using this feature.

According to a PTA’s brochure circling over digital media, the process to secure your WhatsApp account is comprised of four steps. To enable two-step verification, open your WhatsApp app and go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification and then tap on Enable option.

It must also be noted that if you have enabled two-step verification, your phone number will not be permitted to re-verify on WhatsApp within 7 days of last using WhatsApp without your PIN. However, to make it easier for you to memorize your PIN, WhatsApp will periodically ask you to enter your PIN. But there is no option available to disable this procedure without disabling the two-step verification feature.