Natalie Silvanovich, a security researcher at Google Project Zero, has uncovered a critical security flaw in WhatsApp that could allow a notorious hacker to make a video call and take full control of your messaging app.
The bug report says: “The attack can be carried out when the WhatsApp mobile application receives a malformed RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packet.” This results in the WhatsApp application crashing
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Hacker News notes that WhatsApp's web client remains unaffected by the flaw, as it uses WebRTC for video calls instead of RTP.
The bug report also says that both Android and iPhones are affected by the flaw. It also describes the steps through which the attack is possible.
The latest version of WhatsApp has fixed the issue. The Android version received the fix on September 28th and the iPhone version on October 3rd. It goes without saying that you should update your apps if you haven't done so in the last few weeks to be safe from the bug.
WhatsApp is a popular messaging service owned by Meta. It allows users to send text messages, make voice and video calls, share images and documents, and even hold group chats. With its simple interface and wide range of features, WhatsApp has gained popularity among users and businesses alike. However, security is still very important, which is why it is recommended to update the app regularly.
