WhatsApp does not completely protect you from intrusions. In particular, there is an effective technique for spying on a user’s conversations and another for thwarting it.
If you’re used to using WhatsApp every day, you probably have conversations that are private and full of sensitive information. Whether it’s bank details, private photos or professional documents, the WhatsApp application is often the center of praise for its privacy. However, it is not a bunker that is impossible to infiltrate, whether by hackers or simply by those around you.
WhatsApp has a function that is both very practical, but also very dangerous if misused: it is the possibility of using a WhatsApp account with several devices. This function allows, as you may have guessed, to access your conversations on different devices that have your WhatsApp account.
This is how I realized that a device other than my smartphone had full access to my WhatsApp conversations. I was also able to see the date and time it was recently accessed. The person who had this device could read the messages I received, but also those I sent, without me being able to notice it.
To access all this information, someone can simply grab your smartphone for a few seconds and add their own device to gain access to your WhatsApp account on their end. It could even be the previous owner of your smartphone if you bought it from someone second-hand in a store, or from an individual.
To make sure no one other than you is using your WhatsApp account, simply go to the app settings. On Android, you will have to tap the three small dots at the top right of the application, while on iPhone, a “settings” button is available directly. You can then select the “connected devices” section. If no device other than yours is authorized, the application will offer you to “connect a device”. On the other hand, if other smartphones, computers or tablets have access to your account, you will find them in this section with their name and the last time they used your WhatsApp account.
If you find any unwanted devices that have access to your WhatsApp account, tap on them in the device list and select the “sign out” option. This device will then no longer have access to your WhatsApp, unless you add it again or it has your credentials.