This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
On November 21, 2019, WhatsApp issued a security advisory about a bug, named CVE-2019-11931, which affects earlier versions of the app on both Android and iOS devices.
The Indian government's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) had issued a warning over a malicious video allegedly intended to remotely access WhatsApp accounts, citing the government's authority to intercept, monitor, or decrypt information generated, transmitted, received, or stored on devices.
According to The Independent, the video allows hackers to access people's messages when they share the MP4 file with their contacts.
However, WhatsApp refuted claims linking the hacking attempts to a shared video file, stating, 'We make public reports on potential issues we have fixed consistently with industry best practices. In this instance, there is no reason to believe that users were impacted.'
WhatsApp users are being urged to update to the latest version of the app due to fears that spy agencies are snooping on people through a major security vulnerability.
