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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

Three candidates to make public appearances

2009-02-06

Statement by Judge Faan Hancke, Chairperson of the Council of the University ff the Free State

The Selection Committee for the appointment of Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS) has short-listed three candidates for the position. They are:

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, former Dean of Education at the University of Pretoria;
Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS; and
Prof. Nthabiseng Ogude, Vice-Rector of the University of Pretoria for the position.

On Monday, 16 February 2009 the three candidates will introduce themselves to the university community at a public session to present their vision and view of their role as rector and vice-chancellor of the UFS. This will take place at 16:00 in the Odeion on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The Senate will vote on Tuesday, 17 February 2009 for the three candidates in terms of appointability and preference and the Institutional Forum meets on Thursday, 19 February 2009 to advise Council regarding the appointment.

The UFS Council will meet on Friday, 13 March 2009 to make a final decision.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
6 February 2009

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