The SecureMe software that Telecom New Zealand uses to oversee its store Wi-Fi networks stripped out images and replaced them with a 'protected by SecureMe' graphic. The problem isn't academic, either: New Zealand resident Dan Hawke and his friends actually saw it in action when sending images with Viber. Somebody with control over the network Viber is using can see and even modify them. On Wednesday, the company said the fix has been submitted to Apple.īecause images and videos are unencrypted by the earlier version of Viber, a user's private messages aren't actually private. The iOS version of Viber remains unchanged since its April 23 release, but Viber last week said it's preparing a fix. The new Android version 4.3.1.21, released Tuesday, includes 'enhancements to the way Viber handles photo, video and location messages,' according to the Viber page on the Google Play app store.

Viber has added encryption measures to its messaging app for Android and iOS so that network eavesdroppers no longer can see or tamper with unprotected images, video, and messages about a user's location.

At right is the view of the correct graphic that another friend on a different network saw in Viber. Dan Hawke and his friends saw how Telecom New Zealand network protection software replaced an image (center) with a security-block graphic in the messaging app (left).

Is viber encrypted and private