Checkpoint has detected a security vulnerability in Wetsap that could cause the app to crash completely and require reinstallation • Report failure

• Security weakness in groups. Wattsap // Illustrative photo: Getty Images

Investigators at Check Point have led to a new security vulnerability in the Wattsapp app. The weakness allowed malicious elements to infect malicious code into groups in Wattsap, in a way that required deleting the app, re-downloading it, and deleting all data in the group chat. As we know, WatSap has over 1.5 billion users worldwide and is considered the world's leading messaging app. Over 65 billion messages are sent in the app every day.

Up to 256 members can participate in any group chat in Wattsap. With this weakness, any member of the group can send a malicious link through the app website - whatsapp web. When the malicious link is sent to the group - the app crashes to all members of the group, preventing them from re-accessing the app unless it is completely removed and the chat in question is deleted. Check Point reported the weakness to Wattsap and it fixed the weakness in a matter of days.

Oded Vanunu, head of product weakness at Check Point, who led the study, said: "Wattsap is one of the world's leading communications apps, so the ability to stop using it and erase the memory in the call groups is significant ammunition for malicious players. Wattsap responded quickly and responsibly to these findings." .

Ehren Kret, a software engineer on behalf of the company, said: "Wetsap is fully honored to the tech community that helps it maintain strong application security for all its users around the world. This kind of responsive Check Point reporting has allowed us to resolve the issue quickly in mid-September "We've also added additional controls to prevent people from joining groups they don't want to be in, to avoid communicating with unwanted parties."