One of the most used text messaging app is expecting a major change in its User Interface. As of now, the update is limited for Beta testers and probably in the next few days will roll out for all the users.
As obtained from the sources, the upcoming WhatsApp update will bring not only a new UI but a new icon for Chats, Camera, and Status feature. It will be exciting to see what interesting elements will be added by WhatsApp this time. As the buzz is created about the latest WhatsApp update, the expectation level of WhatsApp users are set high. According to the sources, WABetaInfo, a viewfinder icon is a new addition to Chat heads and WhatsApp status has been added.
This new update has reported a bug according to which the app crashes immediately when a voice message is recorded and send. Besides that, the dark mode is still the awaited feature and is missing from this update as well. However, WABetaInfo has twitted a few days back that soon the dark mode will be added to the WhatsApp but it seems that it will test the patience of the users.
On the other hand, it is also reported that WhatsApp is making all the possible efforts for turning the app better than ever. WhatsApp is emphasizing on securing the app. In this way, WhatsApp has already banned many WhatsApp groups based on ‘Suspicious’ names.
Reddit is the biggest platform where such bugs have been reported by a lot of WhatsApp users. One such Reddit thread gives the information that a user was banned because he has changed the University group name to something that is inappropriate and relating to Child Abuse.
Apart from this, many other users are banned due to edgy humor and spreading objectionable content. Those who are banned by the WhatsApp receives an automated text reading that they are found violating the terms and condition of WhatsApp and not providing the content as per the ‘Group Name’.
Another major issue that WhatsApp users encounter nowadays is the warning message that their application is compromised by Israeli spyware firm NSO. To cope with this, Facebook – Owner of WhatsApp, has launched a legal complaint against NSO. This is not the only instance when WhatsApp users are threatened.
WhatsApp is often open to vulnerabilities like nation-state attacks, hacking, and malicious activity. Recently in the past month this year, users have reported a bug that attackers are using GIF files to steal the user’s information through WhatsApp. When the user opens the GIF, the malicious code activates and reads all the crucial information stored in the target phone.
WhatsApp has warned the users on 14th November through an advisory note that “a stack-based buffer overflow could be triggered in WhatsApp by sending a specially crafted MP4 file to a WhatsApp user.” Although there is not much information available officially on the matter, the warning is serious! Facebook has confirmed that the ‘Potential Risk’ is identified internally without any issue raised by security researchers.
No doubt that Facebook is making all the possible efforts in making WhatsApp secure but still coping up with these vulnerabilities is a tough task to do, especially, in the technologically advanced scenario where hackers are always a step ahead from researchers. Users should also take such warnings seriously and find out the remedial actions at their best. As stated by Facebook, the following versions can be affected by potential risks.
- Android versions prior to 2.19.274
- iOS versions prior to 2.19.100
- Enterprise Client versions prior to 2.25.3
- Windows Phone versions before and including 2.18.368
- Business for Android versions prior to 2.19.104
- Business for iOS versions prior to 2.19.100
