It starts with a message from one of your contacts asking for help in activating their WhatsApp account on their telephone. At the same time, you will receive a text message from WhatsApp with a six-figure activation code. It all seems to make sense - do you transfer the code? What you don't yet realise is that your contact's WhatsApp account has been hacked and that you are communicating with a cybercriminal.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"This six-figure code is a way of checking your identity"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"When you set up a WhatsApp account on your smartphone, the app asks you to enter your telephone number (linked to your WhatsApp account) to send you a six-figure activation code by text message. This code serves to make sure that you are the owner of the telephone line linked to the account. So if you receive an activation or verification code on your telephone (and this applies to all online accounts with a text message verification system), never transfer it to anyone because it always concerns your account. It's logical because your telephone number is linked only to your account and to no-one else's. It's a security measure.
In other words, if you receive an activation or verification code on your smartphone that you did not personally request, it means that someone is trying to hack your account.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"The two-step verification process to prevent this hacking"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The weapon against this kind of hacking is a PIN code (also containing six figures, which can create confusion) that you configure in the app itself. You will be asked to enter this code (which you create yourself) regularly when you open WhatsApp to check that it is definitely you. Without this code, the cybercriminal cannot access your WhatsApp account.
If you have not yet set up this protection measure, do it now.
To do so, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Two-step verification. Choose your PIN code and validate it.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Last tip: stop messages from popping up on your screen when your telephone is locked"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","altTextEN":"Whatsapp prevent hacking image","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/6824c8e2ea440b21/original/Whatsapp-prevent-hacking-image1-en.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/49911822-ea68-4e1d-852c-67eab4e084fb/Whatsapp-prevent-hacking-image1-en"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Whether it be on an Android or iOS phone, you can mask the content of alerts that appear on your telephone when it is locked. As a result, someone in the same room as you, for example in a café, would not be able to read this six-figure activation code on your telephone, were it left on the table. It may seem far-fetched, but you'd be surprised...
"}}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"0355e334-dbde-4a55-b8a7-a59042f5ddd3","localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Online security","url":"/en/individuals/fraud-and-security/online-security"}},"componentType":"editorialHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"This WhatsApp hacking technique has been around for a while, but it is now taking on alarming proportions. The good news is that it's very easy to protect yourself from it.","title":"Don't let them hack your WhatsApp account"},"date":"2020-11-17","readingTime":5},"publishDate":"2023-02-15T09:39:05.327+01:00"}}