SB2018080906 - Security restrictions bypass in WhatsApp
Published: August 9, 2018 Updated: July 6, 2020
Security Bulletin ID
SB2018080906
Severity
Low
Patch available
YES
Number of vulnerabilities
1
Exploitation vector
Remote access
Highest impact
Data manipulation
Breakdown by Severity
- Low
- Medium
- High
- Critical
Description
This security bulletin contains information about 1 security vulnerability.
1) Content manipulation (CVE-ID: N/A)
The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to manipulate messages sent in both private and group conversations, giving attackers immense power to create and spread misinformation from what appear to be trusted sources.The weakness exists due to an error when connecting to WhatsApp network and content decryption. A remote attacker can use the ‘quote’ feature in a group conversation to change the identity of the sender, even if that person is not a member of the group, alter the text of someone else’s reply, essentially putting words in their mouth, send a private message to another group participant that is disguised as a public message for all, so when the targeted individual responds, it’s visible to everyone in the conversation.
Remediation
Install update from vendor's website.