Everyone using WhatsApp must check their settings now and follow urgent advice

Anyone using WhatsApp to chat with friends and family should check their settings and ensure they have the latest version of the app installed. Security researchers have confirmed two concerning software vulnerabilities within the popular messaging service, one affecting how media files and attachments are handled, and another impacting WhatsApp for Windows users.

Experts at Malwarebytes warned that while the flaws do not automatically infect devices, they could make it easier for cybercriminals to carry out social engineering attacks or combine them with other vulnerabilities for more serious threats.

According to the company, a malicious message could potentially trick a device into opening content from an untrusted source.

The vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2026-23866 and CVE-2026-23863, were discovered through Meta’s Bug Bounty programme.

At the moment, there is no evidence that either flaw has been exploited in real-world attacks or used to infect phones. WhatsApp said it has “not seen evidence of exploitation in the wild."

However, the Meta-owned firm has released an update with the company strongly recommending users check their settings.

To remain protected, users should make sure WhatsApp is fully updated on their devices.

Android users can update WhatsApp by:

Opening the Google Play Store, searching for WhatsApp Messenger and tapping “Update”

iPhone users should:

Open the App Store, then tap their profile icon and scroll to WhatsApp and select “Update”

Once the install has taken place, phones will be safe from future attacks.

This new warning comes as some older Android devices may soon lose access to WhatsApp altogether. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp plans to end support for phones running versions older than Android 6 from September 8, 2026.

WABetaInfo reports that affected users may see a message stating: “Later this year, WhatsApp won’t work on this device.”

Most people are unlikely to be impacted, however, as Android 6 was released back in 2015 and is now rarely used on modern smartphones.