WhatsApp is introducing “Strict Account Settings,” a new one-click security mode designed to shield journalists, activists, and public figures from sophisticated spyware and “zero-click” cyberattacks.
Why it matters
The move mirrors Apple’s “Lockdown Mode” and Google’s “Advanced Protection,” signaling a consensus among tech giants that high-profile users require extreme, functionality-limiting defenses to survive state-sponsored hacking.
How it works
Users can toggle the mode under Settings > Privacy > Advanced. Once enabled, the app automatically triggers several “extreme” safeguards:
- Media Blocking: Automatically blocks all attachments and media from unknown senders.
- Link Previews: Disables URL previews to prevent IP address tracking.
- Silence Strangers: Mutes calls from unknown numbers to thwart “zero-click” exploits.
- Enhanced Routing: Routes all calls through WhatsApp servers to mask the user’s location.
- Hardened Code: Meta is simultaneously moving its media-handling libraries to Rust, a memory-safe programming language, to prevent malware from being hidden in files.
The backdrop
The update comes as WhatsApp faces a fresh class-action lawsuit alleging “backdoor access” to messages—a claim Meta dismissed yesterday as “frivolous fiction.”
- WhatsApp head Will Cathcart also publicly sparred with Elon Musk this week over the security of the platform, doubling down on the app’s end-to-end encryption.
Between the lines
While the feature is available to anyone, Meta warns it will “limit how the app works.” For most users, the standard encryption is sufficient; this is a digital “bunker” for those at the highest risk of surveillance.
What’s next: The feature is rolling out globally to iOS and Android users over the coming weeks.
Source: Meta Newsroom
