4 Disadvantages of Using WhatsApp Two Step Authentication

WhatsApp has introduced Two Step Authentication which is another layer of security that offers another way of authentication of your account using a six-digit passcode and is aimed at preventing people from using other users phone numbers for WhatsApp.

Don't get too excited yet until you read this article which i find interesting on nairaland. Can't wait to activate the new security feature in your smartphone? Wait, there’s a ‘flip side’ too. Here are four reasons to stay away from WhatsApp’s new security settings.

4 DISADVANTAGES OF ENABLING WHATSAPP TWO-STEP AUTHENTICATION

1. Danger of Losing WhatsApp Access For 7 days.

Two-step verification requires specifying an email address that can be used to turn it off if you forget the six-digit passcode. But if you forget the passcode without specifying the backup email, you won’t be able to reverify your number on
WhatsApp within 7 days of last using it.

Essentially, this means that you won’t be able to access WhatsApp for seven days.

2. Risk Of Your WhatsApp Account Getting Deleted

If you reverify your number on WhatsApp after 30 days of last using the app, without the passcode, your WhatsApp account will be automatically deleted.

Although a new account will be created automatically once you successfully reverify, there’s still a risk of your account and all your chats getting deleted, unless you regularly back them up.

3. Nagging Reminders To Enter Passcode

If you use the internet regularly, you already know how annoying pop-ups are. And with two-step verification enabled, you may have to deal with something like that in WhatsApp frequently.

That’s because the app will periodically ask you to enter your passcode, thus ‘helping’ you to not forget it. There’s no way to disable this nagging prompt without turning off two-step verification altogether.

SEE ALSO... How To Enable WhatsApp Two Step Authentication

4. Potential Security Risk To Your Email ID

As mentioned above, enabling two-step verification requires you to specify a valid email address, which can be used to disable the feature in case you ever forget your passcode.

Although WhatsApp claims that it won’t verify the email to confirm its accuracy, you still the run the risk of having your e-mail address exposed to security threats and possibly unwanted promotional messages.