Can WhatsApp Be Hacked? How to Check and Protect?

WhatsApp: Keep your account safe and stay away from hacker threats!

WhatsApp facilitates the connection between friends and family around the world, but is it really safe? The answer is: not completely safe. In recent years, many high-profile data breaches have shown that WhatsApp accounts may also be targeted by hackers. For example, in 2022, nearly 500 million user data were publicly sold after the data breach.

While WhatsApp has a significant increase in security than it was earlier, you may still be at risk of being hacked. Learning how to prevent WhatsApp accounts from being stolen will effectively protect your information security. This article will guide you on how to identify signs of an account being stolen and what to do.

How to detect if WhatsApp account is stolen?

How long does it take for a hacker to hack your phone? Unfortunately, they can cause damage in a few minutes. While prevention is better than treatment, you may be reading this because you suspect your account has been stolen.

Here are some signs of a stolen WhatsApp account (but not all):

• Receive messages you did not send: One of the most obvious signs is finding messages you haven't sent, which may contain malicious links, harmful requests, or other suspicious content.
• Profile image or name has been changed: Another obvious sign is that your profile image has been changed. Hackers may also modify your name or status.
• Login from different locations: If you log in to WhatsApp from another device, you will usually receive a login notification. Be vigilant if you notice a new login and you are not logged in, especially from a device or a remote location you don’t recognize.
• Diate a random WhatsApp call to strangers: If you find calling a random number or someone you don't know (or someone you haven't contacted recently), you may want to check if your account has been stolen.
• Received WhatsApp password reset request: Some hackers use brute force attacks to try to guess your password. Sometimes, they may try to bypass this process by resetting your login information.

To reduce the risk of being hacked, it is recommended that you learn how to protect yourself from cybercrime.

What should I do if your WhatsApp account is stolen?

Even if you do your best, you may find that your WhatsApp account has been stolen. You can take the following steps to resolve the issue as soon as possible:

1. Reduce losses

Once you find that your account is stolen, it is crucial to take action immediately. Tell all contacts immediately about your account stolen, especially if the hacker sends a message to others. It is recommended that you publish an announcement through status updates or Moments.

If the hacker changes your profile information, please restore it to its previous status.

2. Change your PIN code

After the account is stolen, it is crucial to change the login information. However, Do not log out of your account. If you log out, the hacker may gain more control. You can change WhatsApp password on your phone by following the steps below:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account

2. Select Two-step verification > Change the PIN code

3. Enter New PIN code and confirm.

In view of the frequent occurrence of data breaches nowadays, please learn how to prevent data breaches.

3. Change your email address login information

For security reasons, you should change the login information for any email address associated with your WhatsApp account. If a hacker accesses your information, they can use any verification codes you receive to further control your profile.

The specific steps depend on your email provider, but changing your password is usually not too troublesome.

4. Delete potential malware

Your WhatsApp account is stolen may be due to malware on the device, so it is worth checking and clearing out any suspicious software. Potential signs of malware include:

• Apps you did not download
• Insufficient storage space
• Degraded equipment performance

On your Apple device, you can check storage space and delete any suspicious content at any time. But this is not the only measure, and it is recommended that you learn about other ways to protect yourself from cybercrime.

How to prevent WhatsApp account from being stolen?

Preventing theft of WhatsApp accounts is much better than post-remedy. Please follow the steps below:

1. Enable two-factor authentication

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) can prevent others from registering your WhatsApp number using different devices. To enable 2FA, you need to log in to WhatsApp. The steps are as follows:

1. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Account

2. Click Two-step verification

3. Select Enable Tab

4. Enter your email address and select Next and confirm

5. Enter the six-digit PIN code you want to use.

2. Never disclose your contact information to anyone

The easy way to prevent your account information from falling into the bad hands is not to reveal your contact information to anyone – no matter how much you trust them. If you suspect someone might know your PIN, change it now.

Don't let the hackers succeed!

Will WhatsApp account be hacked? Unfortunately, it will. But luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to limit (or block) the damage altogether. Checking for suspicious behavior is a good start, and you should also check the device for malware.

When using WhatsApp on your Mac, you can also use the MacKeeper Anti-Virus tool to delete and detect malware in real time. Doing so will help improve the safety of the device. You can also learn how to keep your Mac safe.

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