This issue affects people who use WhatsApp on their computers (Desktop version). The government has warned that there is a high risk that hackers could steal personal data.
India’s cybersecurity agency CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team) has issued a high-severity security alert for WhatsApp Desktop users. In a recent advisory, the agency warned that this vulnerability could be exploited by hackers to steal personal data or even take full control of the user’s computer. Users are suggested to update their WhatsApp Desktop app to the latest version immediately to stay protected.
“A vulnerability has been reported in WhatsApp Desktop for Windows, which could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or perform spoofing attacks on the targeted system,” the cybersecurity agency said.
Software Affected
The flaw affects WhatsApp Desktop for Windows versions prior to 2.2450.6 and could be exploited through specially crafted malicious files.
“The vulnerability exists due to misconfiguration between the MIME type and file extension, leading to improper handling of attachment openings. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious attachment which could execute arbitrary code when opened manually within WhatsApp. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or perform spoofing attacks on the targeted system,” CERT-In said.