WhatsApp has solved a vulnerability related to its “One-time viewing” feature, aimed at automatically deleting photos and videos after they have been opened, which was introduced in 2021 to enhance consumer privacy. This issue came to light in August when Zengo discovered that the restriction could be bypassed through the web version of the app with a specific malicious browser extension, allowing media files to be saved. Once the problem was identified, WhatsApp developers took immediate action to address the vulnerability.
Following an initial urgent patch release, which did not completely address the issue as media files could still be accessed after supposed deletion, WhatsApp has now confirmed that the problem has been fully resolved through a software update. Users are advised to only send disappearing messages through trusted channels and ensure they are using the latest version of the application.
Tal Beeri, co-founder of Zengo, praised the latest update for preventing the use of malicious extensions and noted the significant improvement in the security of the “One-time viewing” feature compared to its original version. He expressed satisfaction that their findings prompted WhatsApp to enhance user protection measures.