WHATSAPP users have been alerted to two major vulnerabilities that could expose them to cyber crooks.
According to hacking news website GBHackers, two bugs discovered by researchers could let attackers take control of people’s accounts.
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WhatsApp has fixed the two “critical” security threats, which affect both the Android and iOS versions of the chat app.
However, if you’ve not updated to the latest version of the app, you are still vulnerable.
“Both vulnerabilities are marked under ‘critical’ severity … and were found by the WhatsApp internal security team,” GBHackers wrote.
They added that hackers could exploit the flaws to hack your device using a dodgy video file or when on a video call.
Once they’ve gained access to your phone, they could launch malware, steal sensitive data or even take control of the device.
WhatsApp confirmed that it had fixed the bugs in an alert on its website.
It named them CVE-2022-36934 and CVE-2022-27492.
Details on the vulnerabilities are scarce in order to not give too much information away to crooks before users have updated.
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However, WhatsApp said that the exploitation of CVE-2022-36934 “could result in remote code execution in an established video call.”
CVE-2022-27492, on the other hand, “could have caused remote code execution when receiving a crafted video file.”
To protect yourself, make sure you’re using the latest version of WhatsApp.
To update your iPhone go to the Settings app and then press General.
The next step is to select Software Update and your device should then meet the new requirements.
If you use an Android, open Settings and select About Phone.
Then press Check for Updates and if an update is available, a button will appear which says Update.
After selecting Install Now, Reboot, or Install System Software, you should be good to go.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
