Meta has closed a security vulnerability in the Windows version of WhatsApp that seriously threatened users. The vulnerability allowed malicious people to disguise executable files (for example, with an .exe extension) as harmless images or video files.

WhatsApp’s Windows version security vulnerability fixed

This vulnerability allowed attackers to trick users into installing malware on their computers. It was explained that the vulnerability was caused by a weakness in the way WhatsApp recognizes attachments.

WhatsApp identifies incoming files based on their MIME types, but only looks at the extension when the file is run. This incompatibility made it possible for malware to hide itself with harmless-looking extensions such as “.jpg” or “.mp4”.

It was stated that the vulnerability only affected the desktop WhatsApp application used on Windows operating systems. Meta announced that the problem was fixed with the application’s version 2.2450.6. Users should update the application to this version as soon as possible.

Despite the vulnerability being fixed, experts warn that similar attacks can be repeated in other applications in similar ways. It is recommended that users do not directly open files sent from unknown people, and especially in the Windows operating system, they should carefully check the extensions of additional files. Because a seemingly harmless image or video file can be a program that can harm your system.

This unpleasant incident has revealed that security in messaging applications is not limited to content encryption, but also the processing methods of additional files are of critical importance. So what do you think about this issue? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.