WhatsApp users, here's something you should not do

Using a modified version of social messaging app WhatsApp? If yes, then you may want to know this. These modified versions of the app are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks and are vulnerable to privacy security risks. WaBetaInfo, the website that tracks changes to WhatsApp, warned against using the modded app in a post on Twitter.

For those unaware, a modded version simply means some alterations and modifications done to the original file by developers to add/remove some features. In some cases, the alterations are done for the benefit of the developers.

“Good post: using a modded WhatsApp version is never a solution for your privacy and security...Download the latest public release for Android: https://whatsapp.com/android,” says the WaBetaInfo tweet.

Good post: using a modded WhatsApp version is never a solution for your privacy and security.

Download the latest public release for Android: https://t.co/TzvR1dJz9y pic.twitter.com/rERxMlTQgx

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 12, 2020

The Twitter post also has an image that further explains risk associated with the modded version of WhatsApp. “Creators can easily MITM your texts and can modify/change/edit texts that you have sent,” the image says. It warns that WhatsApp can also temporarily ban your account if you are using a modified version of the app. “It is not worth the risk in spite of the fact that those modded versions provide 20x more features than original WhatsApp,” it further adds.