Security News > 2023 > April > WhatsApp announces features to prevent account takeover

WhatsApp will be rolling out three new security features in the coming months, to provide users with increased privacy and control over their messages and to help prevent unauthorized account access and takeover.

WhatsApp's new check when moving account to another phone.

Malware-laden WhatsApp apps can steal user's authentication key, which means attackers can take over their account and access everything in it, as well as send and receive messages.

"When someone receives a message their WhatsApp client wakes up and retrieves the offline message from WhatsApp server. This process cannot be impersonated by malware that steals the authentication key and attempts to send messages from outside the users` device," WhatsApp explains.

"We're building on key transparency by developing a new Auditable Key Directory, which is based on an open-sourced library. The AKD will enable WhatsApp clients to automatically validate that a user's encryption key is genuine and enables anyone to verify audit proofs of the directory's correctness," WhatsApp explained how the feature works behind the curtain.

Those new features will be implemented by WhatsApp and won't require any action from the user.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/14/whatsapp-prevent-account-takeover/