The problem lets someone change the status message of another person merely by knowing their phone number WhatsApp has patched a security flaw in its WhatsApp Messenger mobile app after someone set up a website allowing anyone to change a user’s status update.Jan Koum [cq], senior tweet manager for WhatsApp, acknowledged there was a problem but did not say what was causing it. WhatsApp has deployed a patch and will roll out stronger fixes in the next day, he said.WhatsApp Messenger users can address messages to one another using their phone numbers. The app sends the messages over Wi-Fi or a mobile data connection rather than SMS, potentially saving on text messaging fees. Versions are available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia Series 60 devices, according to WhatsApp’s website.In apparent frustration with WhatsApp, someone created a website at whatsappstatus.net highlighting the vulnerability, and allowing anyone to enter the phone number of a WhatsApp Messenger user and update that user’s status message. Who set up the website is a mystery, as the domain name registration information is private. “The engineers of WhatsApp are telling their customers that they will fix it as soon as possible while it’s been a long time now,” the site said. “So on this website we will show you one of the major leaks of WhatsApp.”Back in May, WhatsApp Messenger’s developers were rapped for failing to encrypt traffic sent over open Wi-Fi connections, Dutch website Webwereld reported. Send news tips and comments to jeremy_kirk@idg.com Related content news Google Chrome zero-day jumps onto CISA's known vulnerability list A serious security flaw in Google Chrome, which was discovered under active exploitation in the wild, is a new addition to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency’s Known Exploited vulnerabilities catalog. By Jon Gold Oct 03, 2023 3 mins Zero-day vulnerability brandpost The advantages and risks of large language models in the cloud Understanding the pros and cons of LLMs in the cloud is a step closer to optimized efficiency—but be mindful of security concerns along the way. By Daniel Prizmant, Senior Principal Researcher at Palo Alto Networks Oct 03, 2023 5 mins Cloud Security news Arm patches bugs in Mali GPUs that affect Android phones and Chromebooks The vulnerability with active exploitations allows local non-privileged users to access freed-up memory for staging new attacks. By Shweta Sharma Oct 03, 2023 3 mins Android Security Vulnerabilities news UK businesses face tightening cybersecurity budgets as incidents spike More than a quarter of UK organisations think their cybersecurity budget is inadequate to protect them from growing threats. By Michael Hill Oct 03, 2023 3 mins CSO and CISO Risk Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe