WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta, is reportedly rolling out a new feature called “passkey” for account verification. This feature is currently only available to some beta testers, but it is expected to be rolled out to all users in the future.
Passkeys are a new type of security credential that is designed to be more secure and convenient than traditional passwords. They are based on public key cryptography, which means that they use two keys, a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt data, while the private key is used to decrypt it. To use passkeys, users will need to generate a pair of keys on their device. The public key will be shared with WhatsApp, while the private key will be stored securely on the user’s device. When a user logs into WhatsApp using passkeys, WhatsApp will send them a challenge. The user’s device will then use the private key to generate a response to the challenge. This response is then sent back to WhatsApp, which verifies it using the public key. If the response is valid, WhatsApp will log the user in. If the response is not valid, WhatsApp will deny the user access.
Passkeys offer a number of advantages over traditional passwords. First, they are more secure. Passkeys are based on public key cryptography, which is a very secure form of encryption. Second, passkeys are more convenient. Users do not need to remember or type long and complicated passwords. Instead, they can simply use their fingerprint or face scanner to verify their identity. WhatsApp is one of the first messaging apps to adopt passkeys. However, other apps, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, are also beginning to support passkeys.
How to use passkeys for WhatsApp account verification
To use passkeys for WhatsApp account verification, users will need to generate a pair of keys on their device. The public key will be shared with WhatsApp, while the private key will be stored securely on the user’s device.
To generate a passkey, users will need to open WhatsApp Settings and go to Account > Account Verification > Enable Passkey. WhatsApp will then guide users through the process of generating a passkey.
Once a passkey has been generated, users will need to link it to their WhatsApp account. To do this, users will need to open WhatsApp Settings and go to Account > Account Verification > Enter Passkey. WhatsApp will then prompt users to enter their passkey.
Once the passkey has been verified, WhatsApp will link it to the user’s account. Users will then be able to use passkeys to log in to WhatsApp.
The rollout of passkeys for WhatsApp account verification is a positive step for security and convenience. Passkeys offer a number of advantages over traditional passwords, and they are expected to make WhatsApp more secure and easier to use for everyone.
