The CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team), a government cyber security agency, reported a “high” rated vulnerability of the popular messaging platform WhatsApp. This allowed hackers to target phones by sending videos in MP4 format.
“Stack-based buffer overview vulnerability exists in WhatsApp due to improper parsing of elementary system metadata of an MP4 file; a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted MP4 file to the target system.” CERT said in a notification on their website.
CERT went on further to say, that the file could “allow the remote attacker to cause Remote Code Execution or Denial of Service condition”, which could adversely affect the system further.
Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company, has now issued a security warning about this threat, listing out the various versions of Android, iOS and Windows Phone that are at risk. This description is very similar to the Pegasus spyware developed by Israeli company NSO Group, a problem that WhatsApp has claimed to have solved in its latest update.
The Pegasus virus entered the phone through a missed call and gave attackers unlimited access to all the data available on the device. Now, beware of MP4 videos on WhatsApp from unknown numbers to escape from being a victim to the new threat.
An attacker can use a person’s cell number to send a video file through WhatsApp and install a malicious file into the phone’s system. This issue is said to exist on both, the individual and business versions of the popular messaging platform. The report of a second virus, which can violate a user’s privacy so close to the Pegasus is very concerning.
We highly recommend our readers to update to the latest version of the WhatsApp app to stay secure from malicious viruses, which are aiming to violate user’s privacy. Also, not just WhatsApp, do update any other App you use on your smartphone. Often App makers send out a new update that has a critical hack or bug fix. So, keeping all the apps updated on your smartphone is good for you and shuts down loopholes and back doorways to malicious attacks.
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