CVE-2019-18426 Meta Platforms WhatsApp: web page flaw
In plain words: A web app can be made to act on someone's behalf or reach places it should not. Stolen sessions, actions taken as the victim, or access to internal systems.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jun 13, 2022
What to do
- Install Meta Platforms's security update for WhatsApp. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- WhatsApp Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability
- Product
- Meta Platforms WhatsApp
- CISA description
- A vulnerability in WhatsApp Desktop when paired with WhatsApp for iPhone allows cross-site scripting and local file reading.
- Type of flaw
- Web page flaw (CWE-79)
- Confirmed exploited
- May 23, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Jun 13, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2019-18426 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-18426
Is CVE-2019-18426 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-18426 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 23, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2019-18426?
Install Meta Platforms's security update for WhatsApp. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2019-18426?
Only if you use Meta Platforms WhatsApp. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.