Ministry of Internal Affairs Warns of WhatsApp Hacking: How Kazakhstanis Can Secure Their Accounts

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued a warning regarding unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts, outlining key measures to protect personal profiles on the messaging platform. Police strongly recommend enabling two-step verification by navigating to Settings > Account > Two-step verification within WhatsApp to set up a six-digit PIN.

Users are also advised to link an email address for account recovery and keep their PIN strictly confidential. Furthermore, individuals should regularly audit their connected devices under the "Linked Devices" tab, immediately terminating sessions for any unrecognized phones or computers.

According to the ministry, red flags indicating a compromised account include unknown device logins, messages sent without the user's knowledge, contacts reporting suspicious requests, unsolicited SMS verification codes, or sudden automatic logouts. If these warning signs appear, users should immediately end all active sessions, update their two-step verification PIN, alert family and friends to potential fraud, and run security scans for malware on their devices. The ministry advises contacting law enforcement if unauthorized access is confirmed.