Incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25
Incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp for Mac v2.25.21.78 could have allowed an unrelated user to trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a target’s device. We assess that this vulnerability, in combination with an OS-level vulnerability on Apple platforms (CVE-2025-43300), may have been exploited in a sophisticated attack against specific targeted users.
- Published
- Aug 29, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.3% · 91th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-863
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Report tools
Action score
52
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 21 / 40 · 5.4 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.3%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · facebook
- 5.4
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Sep 2, 2025. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for government agencies: Sep 23, 2025.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:whatsapp:whatsapp | ||
| whatsapp business | cpe:2.3:a:whatsapp:whatsapp_business |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- whatsapp whatsapp2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.73
- whatsapp whatsapp2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.78
- whatsapp whatsapp business2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.78
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (facebook). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Facebook WhatsApp Business for iOS
- 2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.78affected · semver
Facebook WhatsApp Desktop for Mac
- 2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.78affected · semver
Facebook WhatsApp for iOS
- 2.22.25.2 and later · before 2.25.21.73affected · semver
Same product
whatsapp: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2019-18426A vulnerability in WhatsApp Desktop versions prior to 0.3.9309 when paired with WhatsApp for iPhone versions prior to 2.20.10 allows cross-sKEV82Now
- CVE-2019-3568A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of RTCP packets sent to a KEV78This week
- CVE-2019-11932A double free vulnerability in the DDGifSlurp function in decoding.c in the android-gif-drawable library before version 1.2.18, as used in W48Plan
- CVE-2022-36934An integer overflow in WhatsApp could result in remote code execution in an established video call.40Plan
- CVE-2020-1909A use-after-free in a logging library in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.20.111 and WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to v2.20.111 could have res40Plan
- CVE-2020-1907A stack overflow in WhatsApp for Android prior to v2.20.196.16, WhatsApp Business for Android prior to v2.20.196.12, WhatsApp for iOS prior 40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook WhatsApp Business for iOS | 2.25.21.78 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Facebook WhatsApp Desktop for Mac | 2.25.21.78 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Facebook WhatsApp for iOS | 2.25.21.73 | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:5 | 2026-04-24 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- CISA KEV+3 d
- First PoC+237 d
- TodaySep 29, 2026+396 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2025-5517981 days apartIncomplete validation of rich response messages in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.25.23.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25.23.82, and WhatsAp21Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- low · data can be read
- Integrity
- low · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- Low
- Integrity impact
- Low
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-863 · Incorrect AuthorizationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
- www.facebook.com/security/advisories/cve-2025-55177
- www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025/
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-55177
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.