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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

Outgoing Rector donates computer to security guard

2008-10-23

Prof. Frederick Fourie and Mr Teli Mohlakoana
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

The outgoing Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof. Frederick Fourie, has donated a laptop computer to a security guard at the UFS to enable him to continue writing radio dramas.

Mr Teli Mohlakoana was one of the security guards dispatched to Prof. Fourie’s house at the time of the Reitz video incident.

Prof. Fourie said it was during that time that he noticed Mr Mohlakoana busy writing, and approached him to find out what he was writing. He told Prof. Fourie he was writing his latest drama for Lesedi FM, something he has been doing for years without a computer.

Mr Mohlakoana started writing radio dramas in 1997, and is currently working on three dramas with 35 episodes each. His first drama, “Na Ke Phoso” (Am I Wrong?) was aired in 2004. He said the laptop will make his job much easier.

“I am very happy to have received this gift, and I intend to use it to teach other people to write dramas”, he said.

Mr Mohlakoana is also busy writing a book titled “Dikapeso” (Graduations), as well as a stage play, with the assistance of the Drama Department. He started working for the UFS in 2006.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
22 October 2008

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