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Don’t get hacked; protect your WhatsApp account

08 October 2020 Photo Istock

Whatsapp security — It is important to be safe when using WhatsApp. Do not leave your phone unattended when you are not close by.

There are 2 billion WhatsApp users in the world, and 1,6 billion WhatsApp users access their accounts on a daily basis.

However, it is important to also be safe when using this popular communication tool.

According to Cobus van Jaarsveld, Assistant Director: Threat Detection, Investigations and Liaison in Protection Services, it does happen that people’s WhatsApp accounts get hacked; this is a serious violation of privacy.

“It means a third party now has unlimited access to your personal chats, information, media – and in some instances, they can also masquerade as you by deleting your chats, replying to your chats, and committing crimes. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of how harmful it can be to get hacked,” says Van Jaarsveld.

He adds: “Hackers can access your WhatsApp data by various means, e.g. via WhatsApp web or registering your number on another device.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) provided the following tips to prevent one’s WhatsApp from getting hacked:

• Log out from all computers that you see in the list under WhatsApp Web. This will stop hackers from further reading your chats. However, this should be done every time you use WhatsApp web.
• Do not leave your phone unattended when you are out.
• Lock all your apps to prevent unknown people from accessing your apps.
• Do not connect your phone to unknown Wi-Fi connections, as hackers can also use the unique MAC address to access all your WhatsApp chats.
• In case your WhatsApp has already been hacked, deactivate your account by emailing support@whatsapp.com. Your account will be automatically deleted if not accessed for 30 days.
• Enable two-step verification under your WhatsApp account settings. This will add an extra layer of security to the app.
• Lock WhatsApp. It is imperative to have the AppLocker that will help you lock your WhatsApp. While WhatsApp does not offer this application per se, you can download it and the app will facilitate the use of your WhatsApp with a password or PIN. This will help to prevent anyone who has access to your phone from accessing your WhatsApp account, since they will require a password to open it.

News Archive

Call for nominations for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards

2017-06-23

Description: Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards 2017 Tags: Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards 2017

The University of the Free State has produced a crop of excellent alumni who have placed the university on the world stage. The aim of the third annual Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards is to acknowledge and honour alumni for achievements in both their personal capacity and occupational fields. Recognition for the 2017 Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards will be based on achievements attained from 2016 to 2017.

Nominations are invited in five categories:
•   The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, the highest honour accorded to an alumnus, recognises the distinguished national or international achievements of its recipient.
•   The Young Alumnus of the Year Award acknowledges the achievements of alumni who have graduated within the past decade.
•   The Cum Laude Award is bestowed upon an alumnus to recognise excellence in any field.
•   The Executive Management Award is made to any person (not necessarily an alumnus) who has delivered exceptional service to the university.
•   The Kovsie Ambassador Award is bestowed upon a current student whose achievements have brought distinction to him/her, benefited his/her community, and brought credit to the University of the Free State.

Previous recipients of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards include television personality, Leon Schuster; Free State Education MEC, Tate Makgoe; politician, Adv. Roelf Meyer; Olympic gold medallist, Wayde van Niekerk; former Miss World, Rolene Strauss; CEO of Central Media Group, Gary Stroebel; and Judge President of the Free State High Court, Justice Mahube Molemela.

Nominations can be submitted in writing to the Alumni Office at alumni@ufs.ac.za using the provided nomination form. A selection panel will choose the appropriate candidate(s) with age, race, and gender playing no role in the selection process. The closing date for submission of nominations is 12:00 on 31 July 2017. Award winners will be announced at a gala banquet on Saturday, 26 August 2017.

Additional queries can be directed to Helen Namponya at +27 51 401 9343, or by email at alumni@ufs.ac.za.

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