The traditional way to log in WhatsAppthrough from an SMS with a verification code that reaches the user's mobile phone, its days are numbered. The application has begun global deployment a new security featurein its version for iOSwhich will replace it if the user activates it: the security keys or passkeys.
The SMS method is not the most reliable, as demonstrated by the fact that scams are as widespread as the 6-digit scam. This consists of the victim receiving a message indicating that they have been sent a 6-digit code by mistake and that they should pass it on. It is, in fact, the SMS sent by WhatsApp to confirm that person's access to the account that was the target of the attack, so they will lose it if they fall for the deception and give it to them thinking it is something else. In 2016, WhatsApp added the 2-step verification, which significantly improved the security of the app for those users who think about activating it, which are not the majority. The passkeys are the greatest protection against account theft that WhatsApp has launched since then.
Access keys are an alternative authentication method that is being promoted by big technology companies in recent years, as a more secure form of access that seeks to eliminate problems such as the vulnerability caused by leaks of user data with all the information necessary to access their accounts. It is already used by such popular applications as Gmail, PayPal or iCloudamong other.
With this feature activated in WhatsApp, the user will be able Sign in using a biometric identification tool on your mobileFace ID or Touch ID on iPhone, or the unlock code.
passkeys are rolling out now on iOS 🔑 a more secure (and easier!) way to log back in with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode
here are some reasons you should set it up 👇
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) April 24, 2024
This system allows eliminate both verification SMS and two-step authentication and log in even when you are not connected to the Internet. When you create a password, the system generates two different keys, one public and one private. The first is stored in the web service you want to access and the second, which verifies the identity, on the user's device.
The deployment is gradual, so it may take up to several weeks before all WhatsApp users on iOS have access to this feature. To check if you have it, you must update the application and follow the path Settings>Account>Passwords>Create a password.
The deployment of this new function does not indicate that WhatsApp is going to eliminate the other two methods to verify identity, but it is an alternative that adds options to users and provides greater security than previous ones by requiring biometric identification.