WhatsApp Fixes Critical Security Bug, Put Android Phone Data At Risk

[{"selector":"#anim-c7ea1d6f-38a1-4ce7-aca4-e3ad7c15bee7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-568b2750-69d4-4879-9d8e-693a8f1d078b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.01387%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3293e59-5b73-482f-833a-caac64546d11","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-836ad31b-6b4a-4e68-9463-b56f3834bdbf","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

WhatsApp has published details of a “critical”-rated security vulnerability affecting its Android app.

[{"selector":"#anim-19d48cd0-873e-4cd5-a93b-0209b18851b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22bda891-9a7e-43b6-be75-8dd9da3c37c8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 161.95987%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a9fb417-7b29-4bb0-a19a-130f05365752","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68f2c85b-b3e1-49ef-a51f-f91a80d909e2","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

That could allow attackers to remotely plant malware on a victim’s smartphone during a video call.

[{"selector":"#anim-878e2f76-9884-49ed-9a74-0251670be9fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9bd97220-c10e-4139-a11e-2f659524c9ed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 161.95987%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-488dff9b-288e-473e-aa40-455d7461749f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38b05cfd-f3ab-4c96-b629-e9656755a47c","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Details of the flaw, tracked as CVE-2022-36934 with an assigned severity rating of 9.8 out of 10, is described by WhatsApp as an integer overflow bug.

[{"selector":"#anim-7e51d7d7-8c3d-49a0-80cd-1097011d41ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83bdd45f-1a0b-4c96-bdec-900b128a6771","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 128.40108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8505563-d664-4373-b313-8be064cf12c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df49ee78-fdf5-4f2e-9a2f-7537136c6b32","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

This happens when an app tries to perform a computational process but has no space in its allotted memory.

[{"selector":"#anim-7b7649e9-3255-41a5-be74-d3813b5deeac","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3d5a41d-bc5f-42a6-908c-e4b26deb4f18","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.55809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-525aa54e-5642-4112-baee-ae34917cde48","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1b41c86-85a6-4648-b961-fb285bd18a69","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

That causing the data to spill out and overwrite other parts of the system’s memory with potentially malicious code.

[{"selector":"#anim-d0f1adc3-e502-40ca-a10b-eabd7a5d0868","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7034e3c6-4c41-4790-a662-2f27c9292092","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.55809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8104deac-18e0-439a-ad6f-a7c0a7c2a08e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3755fecb-8583-4602-a740-3c45983c4ff5","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

But security research firm Malwarebytes said in its own technical analysis that the bug is found in a WhatsApp app component called “Video Call Handler”

[{"selector":"#anim-e109e17c-782f-419b-ab0e-564c9f20bb38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2e85f92-37db-4906-a051-8ba47a6dc2dc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 128.40108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f420a25-ee1f-43bd-834b-2b81b4c7a99c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93e03c38-345e-4d60-8268-c1142c7e73d5","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The critical-rated memory vulnerability is similar to a 2019 bug, which WhatsApp ultimately blamed on Israeli spyware maker NSO Group in 2019

[{"selector":"#anim-1800ebe9-df4a-463f-bb01-3140983e8335","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d46a055a-4dde-4f18-a7a9-9e53462a7b37","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 128.40108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-963ed6e6-5ddb-4096-8617-678b61ad79ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56bbb000-8509-4d2d-a4a3-287d7ea4c49d","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

WhatsApp also disclosed this week details of another vulnerability, CVE-2022-27492, rated “high” in severity at 7.8 out of 10

[{"selector":"#anim-25b1f00e-fd20-4db2-bfd9-688d80231114","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-769bee6d-58b3-4f84-8ae3-cf20c4099750","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 128.40108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06151e71-c1cd-4729-b5c5-1d0d5a00ed23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12db96f4-6a16-43e0-9f81-965d5d10c6e9","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

That could allow hackers to run malicious code on a victim’s iOS device after sending a malicious video file.

[{"selector":"#anim-2883e76f-9ea0-4d06-a27e-305b0821841c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99e5301a-65c8-4b61-9895-a5fa364b1425","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.55809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d6a7475-3f20-4bab-8b8a-024a2b056a2d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2180fa6d-2b3e-449b-a51d-2947d9c1d789","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Both flaws are patched in the latest versions of WhatsApp. Update today.

[{"selector":"#anim-78670a12-b857-4734-b145-722930fe01a2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7258de9-4cf6-43d3-8898-fdd326837301","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 203.80376%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d579deb9-0102-4227-ac1d-51b8db6ba192","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9218aa99-a8d2-4860-9dc1-459821c8f5d9","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(90deg) translate3d(-59.65909%, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)","rotate(90deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-90deg)"]},"delay":50,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]