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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

Popular course starts again

2011-04-13

The popular short course in population environment development (PED) nexus, presented by our university, in collaboration with other partners started on 13 April 2011. Here are from left: prof. Lucius Botes, Dean: Humanities; me. Nabila Lejri a participant in the course from Tunisia, and prof. André Pelser, from our Department of Sociology.
Photo: Earl Coetzee

The popular short course in population environment development (PED) nexus, which is presented by our university, in collaboration with other partners started on 13 April 2011.

Various international guests from, amongst others, Vietnam, Tunisia, Gabon and Zimbabwe, attended the welcoming function in the Johannes Stegman Gallery on our Main campus.

According to Prof. André Pelser, from our Department of Sociology, the theoretical part will be presented on the campus, whereafter the practical component will be presented at the Golden Gate Highland National Park.

"The course investigates how we (mankind) can develop sustainably in an integrated manner in the midst of demographic changes, environmental issues and developmental challenges."

He says that the course is geared towards equipping programme leaders and mid-level managers to implement developmental programmes by means of extended networks, as well as to sensitise politicians about population and environmental issues.

This training offered in the Free State forms part of a series of training sessions presented internationally.

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