How to Keep Your WhatsApp Web Sessions Private
In today’s interconnected world, a feature that has traditionally made online communication convenient and effective has made it an essential tool for millions of people. Using WhatsApp Web you can view, listen to, and write on your mobile chats while viewing them on your computer. Whether you are checking email, looking at work files, and sharing a file among colleagues – its simplicity makes it the perfect way to stay connected. But with so many benefits, the lack of supervision can go a long way. If a session on your computer is open for someone else or on public, that can open your whole private world to the world.
Understanding How WhatsApp Web Works
Once you get into the nitty gritty I would say that the next step is to get an idea of the workings of security. WhatsApp Web is not a standalone application; it’s a live version of your phone. You must be plugged into the internet in order for the web client to work. That means that all messages are still being sent and received by your phone itself which is just relaying them to your browser. Every time you scan the QR code for the website web. whatsapp. com you create a new active session link between that browser and your mobile device. The session remains active until you manually log out.
This is the most important (and the least known) step. Your session for the web site doesn’t even terminate when you close down the browser tab. There’s still a connection going through and anyone who has the link to that computer can open that browser tab and visit the web. whatsapp.com, instantly see all of your new messages without ever using your phone again. Make this a habit: whenever you’re done, click on the three-dot menu in the web site’s window (it should appear at the top of the window), and hit “Log out. ” This actually shuts down the connection right away, and it’s a good first step.
Review Your Linked Devices Regularly
That’s easy. WhatsApp provides a way to see every computer where your account is currently active. This is your command center for session management. From your mobile app: WhatsApp Web > Linked Devices You will see a list of all browsers (and their last active time) that are currently connected to your account. If you see a device you don’t recognize or don’t use, tap on it and select “Log out”. This will allow you to remotely end a session on a library, office, or friend’s computer you’ve forgotten to log off from earlier.
Secure Your Computer and Phone
The security of your WhatsApp Web sessions are only as good as the devices on which you use them. Make sure you have a strong password for Login and that if you do not login in for a while the computer halts automatically after about 10 seconds of inactivity. Then no one could physically start browsing through your browser from the outside. Also make sure you have a strong passcode, or fingerprint, or Face Unlock for your phone. If somebody manages to gain access to your unlocked phone they will also be able to link a new WhatsApp Web session by themselves without following any other measures.
Beware of Public and ShareWhatsApp Webd Computers
Even if you plan to quickly glance at your messages on a public terminal it’s a big risk. No one knows what software those servers are running on; some will have keyloggers or other malware that can easily mine your data. If necessary, if you’re having to use a public computer for WhatsApp Web, do everything in your power to stay alert. Make sure there’s no one watching you scan the QR code before going forward. Most importantly, as soon as you finish, you should log out of that session by using the menu on WhatsApp Web (you may also want to clear the browser’s history/cache for that site beforehand).
Enable Two-Step Verification
This adds a layer of security around your whole WhatsApp account which is directly attached to protecting your various WhatsApp Web sessions. When you enable two-step verification you generate a custom six-digit PIN that will be periodically required to verify your phone number. Really, if someone attempts to link a new session to your WhatsApp Web after you have enabled this, then they will ask for this PIN even if they already have your phone and know how to use the QR code. It stops them from doing it in its tracks. You can enable it in your mobile app under Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
Keep Your Software Updated
There are always new cyber threats coming up, so often software updates come along with important security patches that fix the vulnerabilities where they could be exploited. That is when you get software updates for your mobile WhatsApp app along with the updates to your web browser (Chrome, Firefox or Edge). Make sure you have enabled automatic updates to your browser as well as checking the App Store/Google Play Store frequently for updates to WhatsApp. An updated browser and app is the way to ensure you have a secure Web environment for all of your WhatsApp Web activities.
Be Wary of Phishing and Fake Sites
Only use the official web. whatsapp. com URL to link your sessions. Be careful of emails or messages you receive from any “Welcome to WhatsApp! Online! ” domains asking you to click a link to visit www. whatsapp. com. These are most likely phishing attacks designed to steal your session data or account information…. Type the URL in the address bar of your web browser. Look for the padlock icon in the address bar to determine whether your browser is connected securely to the official WhatsApp servers.
You deserve the best protection possible for any communications you exchange via WhatsApp Web. By having these simple but remarkably effective practices up-to-date by regularly checking your email / voice and contacts across all linked devices, and using everything that’s possible such as two-step verification you’ll have the convenience and the security of WhatsApp Web without compromising on your privacy.
