WhatsApp is working on Touch ID and Face ID to stop nosy friends flicking through YOUR messages when you leave your phone lying around
- The Touch ID is set to be available on iPhone using iOS 8 or more
- The Face ID will be available for iPhone X, iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs and Xs Max
- Users won’t see the option yet and it is not clear when it will be released
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WhatsApp is working on a new feature to stop nosy friends scrolling through your messages, according to a new report.
The firm will do this by adding Touch ID and Face ID authentication to the messaging app.
The Touch ID is set to be available on iPhones using iOS 8 or more while the Face ID will be available for iPhone X, iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs and Xs Max.
WhatsApp is working on a new feature to stop nosy friends scrolling through your messages. The firm will do this by adding Touch ID and Face ID authentication to the messaging app
According to wabetainfo the new feature, which is still under development, will be under Privacy Settings, under ‘Touch ID’.
Users will have the choice to activate the feature or not.
When Touch ID or Face ID is on, users will have to authenticate themselves every time they open the app.
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Users will have to enter the device’s unlock code if unable to authenticate using the face or fingerprint ID.
It is not clear when the feature could be released for iPhone and it is not known if developers will create a similar system for Android.
MailOnline has contacted WhatsApp for comment.
The feature, which is still under development, will require users to enter the device’s unlock code if it is unable to authenticate users using the face or fingerprint ID (stock image)
Just last month a worrying WhatsApp hack meant that cyber criminals could access people’s accounts.
Scammers attempted to gain access to a user’s account by taking advantage of weakly secured voicemail inboxes, according to Naked Security, a blog run by British security company Sophos.
The attacks became so prevalent that Israel’s National Cyber Security Authority issued a nationwide warning.
To start, attackers try to install the WhatsApp app on their own phone using a legitimate user’s phone number.
WhatsApp attempts to verify the login attempt by sending a six-digit verification code via text message to the victim’s telephone.
Hackers try to do this when the victim may not be checking their phone, such as nighttime.
Israeli security officials have warned that the attack has been on the rise in recent weeks.
They recommend that users turn on two-factor authentication on their account, which adds an extra layer of security to your account.
‘Using application-based 2FA…mitigates a lot of the risk, because these mobile authentication apps don’t rely on communications tied to phone numbers,’ Sophos researchers explained.
Users can do that by navigating to Settings in WhatsApp, then tapping ‘Account.’ Navigate to the ‘Two-step verification’ heading and tap ‘Enable.’
Further, experts say users should make sure they have a strong PIN on their voicemail inbox.
HOW CAN USERS DOWNLOAD THEIR WHATSAPP REPORT?
After updating its privacy settings in line with GDPR, WhatsApp is added a feature to increase transparency for its users.
Called ‘Request Account Info’, this feature enables WhatsApp users to download their account information.
It allows people to access all the data that WhatsApp has on them.
This information is stored on WhatsApp’s servers and includes information such as profile photos and even names of group chats.
Other information includes the make and model of the device they used, their contacts and any blocked numbers.
It is important to note that the report will not contain any messages, although that option is also available through a separate feature.
How to request a report
WhatsApp claims the report will be available approximately 3 days after the date requested.
Once the report has been created and is ready, users will be able to download it.
How to download the report
A ZIP file will then be downloaded to the device and will include an HTML file.
Once successfully downloaded, WhatsApp users will be able to export their report.
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