Popular messaging app WhatsApp may be adding the option to chat using multiple devices at once, according to The Independent. Currently, WhatsApp still limits its users to one main device, unlike many of its competitors, meaning that messages cannot be synchronized between different phones, and using the app on a new device means logging out on another. The company does offer the ability to send messages from another device, such as a computer, using WhatsApp Web. But that app is severely limited, requiring a constant connection to the phone, and having only limited features. The new update could bring the ability to use the real WhatsApp on a variety of different devices, with messages syncing between them, according to leaks.
Although using multiple devices comes with added convenience, it also brings security risks and privacy problems.
Users must be aware that although WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption stops people intercepting the data, it also adds multiple endpoints that act as decryption keys. This makes the data less secure and more vulnerable to attack.
I advise all users to set up a lock on any device with WhatsApp installed and to set up the two-factor authentication offered by the app, which makes users randomly enter a 6 digit code. This keeps prying eyes away from your sensitive data.