Here are the characteristics of your WhatsApp being bugged and how to fix it – WhatsApp messaging media is the media most used by mobile phone users. Even on the Play Store, WhatsApp has been downloaded by more than five billion users.
The WhatsApp program is called an encrypted instant messaging service. However, that does not mean that the program is free from eavesdropping.
When an account is hacked, hackers can monitor your routine on WhatsApp, monitor individual messages, sleep schedules, contact contents, and much more.
Here are some features of WhatsApp being bugged by people to get rid of some unexpected things:
If you find that the application exits automatically and the user gets an OTP code sent via SMS or telephone, it is recommended not to hand over the six-digit code to anyone.
If the user suddenly receives an OTP code and exits the application by itself, there is a possibility that the WhatsApp number is being cloned by someone else.
However, in order to clone the perpetrator’s number, they must have access to the victim’s SIM card.
The sender may pretend to be a friend of the victim and ask to send the code because they have difficulty logging into their Whatsapp account. This is one of the pitfalls and there are likely to be various other traps that essentially call for the six codes.
The next sign that WhatsApp has been hijacked is that the message has been read. That means when the user’s WhatsApp account is copied to the cloned WhatsApp application it uses the QR code that is supposed to be used on WhatsApp Web.
Signs of a cloned WhatsApp account using an application like this is if you ever find a message that has been read even though you have never opened it.
Messages that have been read are marked with two blue ticks at the bottom right of the message. But this flag can be disabled in the settings section. If this flag is not activated, the user cannot see whether the message has been read or not.
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Out of the WhatsApp account suddenly
WhatsApp cannot be used on two phones at the same time. If the same number is used on another device, the user’s WhatsApp account will automatically exit.
If the same number is registered on another device, a warning will appear on the phone, as follows:
“Your phone number is no longer registered in WhatsApp on the phone. Maybe because you have registered it on another phone. If you don’t do this, verify your phone number to log back into your account.”
If you get that notification while you don’t feel like you entered the same Whatsapp number on another device, don’t press OK.
Instead, you have to press verify so that your Whatsapp account doesn’t move to another phone. If the transfer was indeed done by yourself, of course you must select OK so that the account can be used on a different device.
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Sending messages that the user didn’t send
Another sign that WhatsApp has been bugged is that messages have been sent to certain contacts without our knowledge.
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Online status even though it’s not active
This is one of the signs that someone else has bugged your WhatsApp. The way to find out is to see if our number appears online on someone else’s WhatsApp account when we don’t open the WhatsApp application on the cellphone or WhatsApp Web.
How to keep WhatsApp from being bugged
To be protected from WhatsApp eavesdropping and hijacking attacks, users can do 5 ways to anticipate. Here are the ways:
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Enable Two-Factor Verification
This is an option to send a six-digit code each time a user logs in with a registered Whatsapp number to a new device, as reported by The Verge.
This code is different from OTP. This method is used so that people cannot just enter the user’s Whatsapp account and hijack via a QR code.
- Click the three-dot option on the top right
- Settings > Account > Two Step Verification
- Click Enable
- Enter the six secret codes you choose
- Enter an email to recover the password in case the user forgets it.
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Enable fingerprint scanner
So that not just any user can log into your Whatsapp account and scan the QR code to tap, users can activate the fingerprint scanner feature.
- Click the three-dot option on the top right
- Click Privacy
- Click fingerprint lock
- Activate
- Users will be asked to record their fingerprint
- WhatsApp asks users to choose how long the app will auto-lock, immediately, after 1 minute, or after 30 minutes.
To avoid tapping WhatsApp through an application that mimics WhatsApp Web, users can check which devices are using your account via WhatsApp Web.
- Click the three-dot option on the top right
- Click WhatsApp Web
- A list of devices that are logged in with your account appears
- Select logout of all devices
If you already click Ok when there is a warning to move the account as mentioned earlier. You can reinstall Whatsapp to retrieve the account.
However, with a note that you are still using the number registered on Whatsapp. Because the WhatsApp OTP code will be sent to the registered number.
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Deactivate WhatsApp account
If the WhatsApp account has been hacked, deactivate the account to make sure no one is using the WhatsApp account.
You do this by sending an email to WhatsApp support at support@whatsapp.com with the phrase “Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account” in the body of the email, as India Today wrote.
After successful deactivation, you have 30 days to reactivate your account before it is completely deleted.
Those are some of the characteristics of WhatsApp being bugged by other people, and how to anticipate them. Through this method, it is hoped that WhatsApp instant message users can be more vigilant, for crimes that often target users.
Source: cnnindonesia.com