Overview
- Reports from the beta tracker WABetaInfo in late August describe three planned security changes that WhatsApp is preparing to test and roll out.
- WhatsApp would replace the existing six-digit two-step verification PIN with a full account password that accepts letters, numbers and special characters to strengthen login protection.
- On Android devices the app is set to show caller context for unknown calls, including the caller’s country and any WhatsApp groups shared with the caller, to help users spot suspicious calls before answering.
- Accounts will be able to register multiple access keys or biometric methods, and those keys can be used to enable end-to-end encryption for chat backups so users do not need to rely on long memorized codes.
- WhatsApp has said more than one billion users already use access-key protections, but the reports make clear that these items come from beta reporting and that WhatsApp has not published a full, platform-wide rollout timetable.