WhatsApp begins rolling out Two-Step verification feature for users of its mobile messaging App on the Android, iOS and Windows Phone platform. The Two-step verification is a security targeted feature that has been available (for testing, improvement and stability purposes) for quite some time now, since November last year to be precise, to the beta user. WhatsApp has now released an official update making the feature available to all users.
Two-step verification is a popular and widely used security measure utilised by a countless number of tech companies and social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google and Dropbox, among many others. How does it work? The Two-step verification security model “requests” for a one-time-use verification code which will be “sent” to your device via SMS, or sometimes through a dedicated App that generates the code. The code and the verification system is usually employed whenever a user is trying to access their account for the first time from a new device. So basically, the system “sends” you a code, and “requests” the code be inputted in the available space provided for verification and confirmation of identity. “Sends and Requests”. Two steps. Capisce?
This measure is an additional form of security that aims to protect your account from unauthorised access. Once enabled in the “Settings” panel of the app, any attempt to verify your phone number on WhatsApp on any device will require you to input the passcode, the company reports.
Also, users can provide a recovery email address (this is optional by the way) just for the sake of passcode recovery. If this happens, I mean if you ever forget your passcode, a link will be e-mailed to the address you provided. The link that will be contained in the mail will allow you to disable the two-step verification so you can access your account.
However, it is very pertinent to state that WhatsApp will not verify the email address provided should in case a passcode is forgotten. So you would be doing yourself enough good by confirming the validity and authenticity of the email you provide. Make sure your mail address is spelt correctly, and every symbol is inputted accordingly. Otherwise, you risk losing access to your account.
To enable the feature, open WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Enable.
One last thing. Probably as a way to ensure more strict and stern security, WhatsApp has made it known that users will be periodically (every seven days) required to enter the passcode to log into the app.
