Users of WhatsApp are advised to review their settings and ensure they have the latest version of the app installed due to two security vulnerabilities discovered by security researchers. These vulnerabilities affect how media files and attachments are managed and impact WhatsApp for Windows users.
Experts at Malwarebytes have cautioned that although the vulnerabilities do not automatically infect devices, they could facilitate social engineering attacks by cybercriminals or be combined with other vulnerabilities for more severe threats. A malicious message could potentially deceive a device into opening content from an untrustworthy source.
The vulnerabilities, known as CVE-2026-23866 and CVE-2026-23863, were identified through Meta’s Bug Bounty program. Currently, there is no evidence that these flaws have been exploited in real-world attacks or used to infect phones. WhatsApp has stated that they have not observed any exploitation in practice.
Nevertheless, the Meta-owned company has released an update and strongly recommends that users review their settings for added security. To safeguard themselves, users should ensure that WhatsApp is fully updated on their devices.
For Android users, updating WhatsApp involves accessing the Google Play Store, searching for WhatsApp Messenger, and selecting “Update.” iPhone users can update WhatsApp by opening the App Store, tapping their profile icon, locating WhatsApp, and selecting “Update.”
Following the installation of the update, devices will be shielded from potential future attacks. In related news, older Android devices may soon lose access to WhatsApp as the platform plans to discontinue support for devices running versions older than Android 6 starting September 8, 2026.
WABetaInfo has indicated that affected users might receive a notification stating that WhatsApp will cease functioning on their devices later in the year. However, the impact is expected to be minimal, as Android 6 was introduced in 2015 and is no longer widely used on modern smartphones.