Incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25
Affects WhatsApp for iOS before 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS before 2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp Desktop for Mac before 2.25.21.78. Fixed in those versions.
- Published
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Listed in CISA KEV
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Actively exploited
- Fix
- Fixed in 2.25.21.78, 2.25.21.73
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
- Exploitation: active
- Automatable: no
- Technical impact: total
Summary
WhatsApp for iOS, WhatsApp Business for iOS, and WhatsApp for Mac are affected. A flaw in how linked-device synchronization messages were authorized could let an unrelated user cause a target's device to process content from an arbitrary URL.
Summarized by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5. Verify details against the original sources.
Read the original description
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.
Timeline
- CVE published
- CISA SSVC assessment
Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
- Added to CISA KEV
CISA has evidence of exploitation in the wild
- CISA remediation deadline
Due date for US federal agencies to patch
- Record last updated
Affected versions
- Facebook WhatsApp Desktop for Mac
From 2.22.25.2 · fixed in 2.25.21.78
- Facebook WhatsApp Business for iOS
From 2.22.25.2 · fixed in 2.25.21.78
- Facebook WhatsApp for iOS
From 2.22.25.2 · fixed in 2.25.21.73
References 2
facebook.com
whatsapp.com
Questions about CVE-2025-55177
What does this mean?
Linked device synchronization messages were not fully authorized, so an unrelated user could cause the target's device to process content from an arbitrary URL.Source: facebook.com
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Versions from 2.22.25.2 up to the fixed releases are listed: WhatsApp for iOS before 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS before 2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp Desktop for Mac before 2.25.21.78. Compare the installed app version with these ranges. The advisory also links the issue to CVE-2025-43300, an OS-level vulnerability on Apple platforms.Source: facebook.com
What should I do about it?
Update WhatsApp for iOS to 2.25.21.73 or later, and update WhatsApp Business for iOS and WhatsApp Desktop for Mac to 2.25.21.78 or later.Source: facebook.com
Is it being exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-09-02, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cisa.gov, cve.now feed data