CVE Alert: CVE-2025-55177 – Facebook – WhatsApp Desktop for Mac

Risk verdict

High risk with active exploitation against targeted users; patching should be prioritised immediately.

Why this matters

An attacker could trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a target’s device, potentially exposing data or enabling further compromise. When paired with an Apple OS vulnerability, sophisticated, targeted campaigns become more feasible, especially for individuals relying on linked-device synchronization.

Most likely attack path

Preconditions: user interaction is required; the attacker can lure the user into engaging with a malicious URL sent via WhatsApp synchronization. The attacker’s access is network-based but limited by the user’s privileges; scope remains local to the target device. If exploited, the attacker could leverage the URL content processing to access or modify local data, with limited user impact but potential for data leakage or feed of malicious content to the user’s device.

Who is most exposed

WhatsApp users on iOS and macOS with linked devices enabled, including business users and those who rely on desktop WhatsApp clients.

Detection ideas

• Sudden bursts of URL fetches initiated by WhatsApp processes.
• Logs showing abnormal content processing from external URLs.
• Unusual sync activity involving linked devices.
• Network traffic to uncommon or newly observed URL domains from WhatsApp processes.
• Alerts tied to OS-level vulnerability activity on Apple devices.

Mitigation and prioritisation

• Update WhatsApp to the patched releases for iOS and Mac; enable automatic updates where possible.
• Apply OS patches for the referenced Apple vulnerability when released.
• If patching is delayed, temporarily disable or restrict linked-device synchronization.
• Implement network controls to monitor and block API calls or URL fetches triggered by messaging apps.
• Plan a rapid remediation window with validation of patch compatibility before broad rollout.