WhatsApp already has end-to-end encryption to protect its users from people who are trying to snoop into their messages, but what about when a user’s phone gets stolen? The company is rumoured to be working on a passcode protection feature to provide an added layer of security.
Like all passcode protection, when activated, you will need to enter a six-digit code in order to load the app. This feature was discovered as part of a text translation program for WhatsApp. The phrases spotted include “Enter the current six-digit passcode”, “Passcodes don’t match. Try again.”, and “Enter a recovery email address”.
Interestingly though, Android Authority notes that email recovery may be an optional feature. Email is usually compulsory in order to prevent users from locking themselves out, so with it being optional, users might lose access to their WhatsApp, which could be disastrous considering that it’s tied to the phone number.
Of course, this is only a rumour for now, and even if it’s true, it’s not the final version and things could change in the future.
(Source: Android Authority)
