WhatsApp is reportedly vulnerable to a flaw that could allow hackers to edit messages

A new vulnerability surfaced in WhatsApp that can potentially allow hackers to manipulate messages. Any kind of message can be intercepted and the identity of the sender can be changed along with the text content of the messages. [caption id=“attachment_6899691” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  WhatsApp. Image: Reuters[/caption] The vulnerability was discovered by Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Research and revealed via a press release. It also posted a video showcasing how the vulnerability can be exploited. With this security flaw, attackers can easily create and spread misinformation and make it appear as if it came from authentic sources. The firm was able to capture an outgoing message from WhatsApp and decrypt it. Then they could alter the contents at will and then encrypt it to send it forward.

Check Point was able to reverse-engineer WhatsApp’s encryption algorithm. By decrypting the data, the researchers got access to all the parameters being exchanged. This allowed them to alter these parameters to whatever they liked. The firm says that it has informed WhatsApp about this vulnerability. Although the flaw has been partially fixed according to a report by Forbes, Check Point says that other issues need to be addressed soon.