Actively exploited · Published Aug 29, 2025 · Assigned by facebook
CVE-2025-55177
Medium 5.4 Exploited
In plain English
A medium-severity incorrect authorization in WhatsApp Business for iOS from Facebook. Attackers are actively exploiting it in the wild (listed by CISA on September 2, 2025). The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 13.5% (higher than 96% of all known vulnerabilities). Ready-made attack tooling exists: public proof-of-concept code. Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
CISA guidance
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Federal agencies must remediate by Sep 23, 2025.
Official 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.
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Desktop for Mac | 2.22.25.2 – before 2.25.21.78 | |
| WhatsApp Business for iOS | 2.22.25.2 – before 2.25.21.78 | |
| WhatsApp for iOS | 2.22.25.2 – before 2.25.21.73 |
Weakness: CWE-863 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
References
- https://www.facebook.com/security/advisories/cve-2025-55177 x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025/ x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-55177 government-resource