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WhatsApp has fixed the bug that allowed hackers to access devices

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WhatsApp is perhaps the most common instant messaging app out there. There are a lot of features that appease to the insanely large audience that is currently using it. But there are still a lot of features that a lot of people want that WhatsApp hasn't been able to deliver.There are a lot of modified versions of WhatsApp available that provide added functionality. In this article, we're going to talk about a very famous mod of WhatsApp called YoWhatsApp.What is YoWhatsApp?YoWhatsApp is a modded version of WhatsApp which not only has all the regular features that Whatsapp has but also has a bunch of added features that can be useful.It is a free app developed by an independent developer named Yousef Al Basha.Here are some significant upgrades that YoWhatsApp provides over WhatsApp:ThemesMessages hidden for privacy reasonsYoWhatsApp allows the user to apply either pre-downloaded skins or make their own. The customisation options are endless.You can change anything from the design of the ticks to the colour of the chatboxes. You can also set custom backgrounds for different chats. With the available downloadable skins, you can change the look of your WhatsApp entirely with just a few taps.Apart from this, you also get to change the app icon as well. Oh, and it also allows you to put your name where normally 'WhatsApp' is written.Also read: QRLJacking: How scanning a wrong QR Code can compromise your WhatsAppPrivacyWith YoWhatsApp, privacy is no longer going to be a concern to you.You can set custom privacy options per contact. The set last seen, read receipts or even delivery receipts as per each contact. You can also freeze your last seen to a specific date as well.You can also hide chats. Note that it is different than archiving. When a conversation is hidden, to view it, tap on the 'WhatsApp' text on the top left and then after a fingerprint scan you'll be able to see the hidden chats. Messages from hidden chats are also not shown in the notification bar.You can even go a step ahead and hide media from the phone's gallery as well. And there's an additional feature wanted by a lot of users. You can lock the app using your fingerprint, pin or a pattern, a much requested WhatsApp feature that is still missing from the original app.FunctionalityThis is where YoWhatsApp shines the most. The biggest lifesaver is that you can read deleted messages. This feature also applies to any media sent as well. So no more pestering by deleted messages.Apart from this, there are a bunch of useful features as well. There's no loss in image quality when sending photos. You can also remove the standard limit of 10 photos that can be shared at once. With YoWhatsApp you can also send and receive videos up to 700 MB.The mod also allows you to send messages to numbers without saving them. You can forward messages without the 'forwarded' tag. There are toast notifications when a contact whom you were chatting with recently comes online. You can even download statuses directly to your gallery.Frankly speaking, there are a lot of features in this mod that'll make you thank the developer through your nose.Also read: 7 Whatsapp alternatives that respect your privacy and securityShould you be using YoWhatsApp?Well, yes of course! The mod offers a lot of functionality over the default app and will make your life a lot easier. Also, there is no risk of it being a spyware or malware app. I've personally been using YoWhatsApp for quite some time now and never saw any issues.The developer keeps updating the app now and then. It can export or import backups from the default WhatsApp so you won't lose any messages when you reinstall or make the switch.There are some alternates to YoWhatsApp as well. These alternates include GBWhatsApp, which is pretty much the same as YoWhatsApp. There's WhatsApp plus as well which is again, more or less the same thing.But also remember, it's not an official version of the app but an independent developer project. Disclaimer by the Developer: "(YoWhatsApp) is in no way affiliated with, authorized, maintained, sponsored or endorsed by WhatsApp or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries. This is an independent and unofficial APP. Use at your own risk."You can download YoWhatsApp here

WhatsApp has understood to have fixed a bug in its Android and iOS mobile app that allowed the hackers to let the app crash during incoming video calls.

According to a report in ZDNet on Wednesday, Facebook-owned WhatsApp, which has over 1.5 billion users, fixed the vulnerability this week. It is yet to be known how many users were affected.

The company is yet to issue a statement on this.

Natalie Silvanovich, a security researcher with Google’s Project Zero security research team, discovered the bug in WhatsApp video call.

“Heap corruption can occur when the WhatsApp mobile application receives a malformed RTP packet,” Silvanovich said in a bug report.

In the News: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder aiding human traffickers: Study

“This issue can occur when a WhatsApp user accepts a call from a malicious peer,” she added.

Memory corruption bug was found in WhatsApp’s ‘non-WebRTC’ video conferencing implementation.

“Last week, Israel’s cyber-intelligence agency sent out an alert about a new hacking technique that relied on poorly secured voicemail inboxes to hijack WhatsApp accounts from their legitimate owners,” said the report.

In the biggest-ever security breach after Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook last month admitted that hackers broke into nearly 50 million users’ accounts by stealing their “access tokens” or digital keys.

Facebook security team discovered the security issue on September 25 which was later fixed.

In the Cambridge Analytica scandal, data of nearly 87 million people was breached upon.

In other news, in trend with Zuckerberg’s policies, WhatsApp is now reportedly planning to allow advertisements to be displayed in the ‘Status’ section of the app.

Rumours about Facebook fuelling ads on Whatsapp started popping up at the end of last month, stating that ads are coming to WhatsApp for iOS, and now the same happens for Android,

Also read: How to verify your Instagram account

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