Viber is updated to protect user conversations
The application of free messaging and calls over the Internet is having a bit of a time bittersweet And it is that after being acquireduirida by the Asian giant of Internet purchases, Rakuten, they have discovered several and important vulnerabilities in its operation. Issues that may compromise both the privacy and security of users.That is why, in recent days, the company has been launching updates for the different platforms on which it is present.
Just a few days ago Viber started with the platform iOS , updating to version 4.2.1 with the suggestive new feature listed as: Improvements in the way Viber Handles photo, video, and location messages, plus the usual bug fixes. Now it is the turn of the platform Android, which once again presents the same novelty and description. An update that brings with it new security barriers to encrypt and codify the information that users send to each other and that before could be intercepted by third parties.
And the biggest security problem recently discovered in Viber was precisely the lack of protection of the different types of message that users can exchange.Thus, data as sensitive as photographs, videos or even the location could be captured by third parties and easily read as it does not contain of any kind encryption to protect them. A way to know the exact location where a user is or see the images that are taken to share with a contact.
Some very serious problems that, although they require the necessary knowledge and circumstances for them to occur, cannot go unnoticed today when privacy is one of the key points, with users being the most aware of it. Hence, following the complaint by the researchers who discovered these vulnerabilities, those responsible for Viber have set to work to plug these holes. Even more so now that they belong to a renowned company.
With these updates it is expected that all the content that is transmitted through the application Viber, at least in Android and iOS, are protected in such a way that nobody can read what is shared in the messages, nor view submitted photos or location. In addition to these updates, Viber seems to be working on their servers to further improve their service and avoid potential issues. That is why today the application service has been out of operation for several hours, although without a specific announcement fromViber beyond reporting server maintenance and service restoration.
In short, a movement that is more than necessary today to ensure the trust of users, in addition to privacy andsecurity of your communications.An update that is recommended to install as soon as possible to avoid any problem. These new versions are now available for free on both App Store and Google Play.The platform is still pending Windows Phone, although it is to be hoped that its update will not be too late.
