Whatsapp For Windows Flaw Could Let Hackers Sneak In Malicious Files

A caller information advisory from Facebook Security highlights a spoofing vulnerability tracked arsenic CVE-2025-30401 affecting WhatsApp for Windows. The flaw could person allowed hackers to nonstop malicious attachments to unsuspecting users. These files would look harmless astatine first but could tally malicious codification if opened wrong nan WhatsApp app.

This vulnerability impacts each versions earlier 2.2450.6 and poses a awesome consequence to users who often interact pinch record attachments done WhatsApp for Windows. For users not willing successful method details, nan rumor started pinch a weird mismatch successful really WhatsApp for Windows worked.

WhatsApp would show users nan attachment based connected what it claimed to be, for illustration a image aliases a document, utilizing its MIME type. But erstwhile they clicked to unfastened it wrong WhatsApp, nan app would take what programme to motorboat based connected nan file’s hold (like .jpg aliases .exe), not what it said it was.

Imagine personification sends you a record named “image.jpg.exe.” WhatsApp mightiness show it arsenic a image because nan MIME type says it’s an image. But if you clicked to unfastened it wrong nan app, WhatsApp would announcement nan “.exe” ending and unfastened it for illustration an existent program. That intends a harmless-looking record could extremity up moving malicious codification without nan personification realizing thing was wrong.

Nico Chiaraviglio, Chief Scientist astatine Zimperium, a mobile information solutions provider, pointed retired that this vulnerability highlights a bigger problem: attachments are still a ace communal measurement for bad guys to present viruses, spyware and different malicious content.

Chiaraviglio recommends a layered defense strategy to mitigate specified risks. This includes attachment scanning to observe perchance harmful files, behavioral study to place suspicious activities, and personification acquisition to raise consciousness astir nan dangers of opening unsolicited record attachments.

“This vulnerability highlights a broader rumor that applies crossed each platforms: attachments stay 1 of nan astir communal vectors for delivering malicious content. While this circumstantial lawsuit involves WhatsApp for Windows, mobile platforms are not exempt,” explained Chiaraviglio.

“Attackers regularly leverage record attachments to bypass personification spot and present malware, phishing payloads, aliases utilization vulnerabilities. Security teams should adopt a layered defense strategy, including attachment scanning, behavioral analysis, and personification acquisition crossed some desktop and mobile environments,” he advised.

The bully news is that WhatsApp has fixed this issue. If you’re utilizing WhatsApp Desktop connected Windows, make judge you’re connected type 2.2450.6 aliases later. If not, update it pronto!