CVE-2025-55177: Meta Platforms WhatsApp Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability
Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.
Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.
What it is
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.
Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by facebook, published 2025-08-29).
Weakness: CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization
How it can be exploited
Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing low privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality low, integrity low, availability none. 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
CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: no. Technical impact: total.
- On CISA KEV since
- 2025-09-02
- US federal deadline
- 2025-09-23
- Ransomware use
- Not known
Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)
Also known as: BDU:2025-10994, CNNVD-202508-3473, EUVD-2025-26214, GHSA-f7wf-m2qg-r9rx
VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:GARNETGEYSER
Exploit Observer has no public exploit code that names this CVE or one of its aliases.
Research and write-ups (2)
- Research or write-up: https://securityonline.info/a-critical-zero-click-whatsapp-flaw-cve-2025-55177-was-exploited-in-zero-day-attacks
- Research or write-up: https://socprime.com/blog/latest-threats/cve-2025-55177-vulnerability
Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (9)
Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2025-26214
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-f7wf-m2qg-r9rx
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55177
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-55177
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnnvd.org.cn/home/globalSearch?keyword=CNNVD-202508-3473
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.facebook.com/security/advisories/cve-2025-55177
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.tenable.com/cve/CVE-2025-55177
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-55177-xdetectionmacossh
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-55177-xremediationmacossh
50 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.
VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.
Live scores
- EPSS
- 0.135
likely to be attacked soon - VEDAS
- 0.973
strong exploit evidence - On CISA KEV
- Yes, since 2025-09-02
- Detection rule
- None yet
Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish.
Who is affected
| Product | Affected | Not affected |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook WhatsApp Desktop for Mac | from 2.22.25.2 before 2.25.21.78 | Not stated |
| Facebook WhatsApp Business for iOS | from 2.22.25.2 before 2.25.21.78 | Not stated |
| Facebook WhatsApp for iOS | from 2.22.25.2 before 2.25.21.73 | Not stated |
Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.
Exploit Observer also maps it to: meta_platforms_inc whatsapp_business_for_ios, meta_platforms_inc whatsapp_desktop, meta_platforms_inc whatsapp_for_ios, whatsapp whatsapp, whatsapp whatsapp_business.
How to fix it
Fixed versions stated in the CVE record: 2.25.21.78, 2.25.21.73.
CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Vendor guidance:
How to detect it
There is no open VEDAS detection rule for this bug yet. It is listed on the detection gaps page if CISA has confirmed attacks.
Advisories on this CVE
- Apple 2025 zero-days (21 Aug 2025)
References
Government sources
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-55177 (government-resource)
Other references
- https://www.facebook.com/security/advisories/cve-2025-55177 (x_refsource_CONFIRM)
- https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025/ (x_refsource_CONFIRM)
Other databases
Where this comes from
This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.