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CVE-2019-18426

WhatsApp Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

  • High 8.2
  • Exploited: added to CISA KEV 23 May 2022

Description

A vulnerability in WhatsApp Desktop versions prior to 0.3.9309 when paired with WhatsApp for iPhone versions prior to 2.20.10 allows cross-site scripting and local file reading. Exploiting the vulnerability requires the victim to click a link preview from a specially crafted text message.

Key facts

Published
21 Jan 2020
Last changed
21 Oct 2025
Assigned by
facebook
KEV added
23 May 2022
KEV fix due
13 Jun 2022
EPSS
68.082% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 99.337% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
SSVC (CISA)
Exploitation: active; Automatable: no; Technical impact: partial

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

  • 8.2CVSS 3.1, Highfrom CISA (ADP container)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N

What to do

  • Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

VendorProductVersions
FacebookWhatsApp Desktop
  • 0.3.9309 (affected)
  • unspecified up to but excluding 0.3.9309 (affected)

Timeline

  1. 21 Jan 2020 Published
  2. 23 May 2022 CVE-2019-18426 added to CISA KEV
  3. 23 May 2022 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue

Weakness

Practice this bug class

HackZoneLabs has a hands-on lab on XSS (stored, reflected, DOM) (CWE-79).

Open the learning platform

References