Cyber Resilience

CVE-2019-3568

Memory Safety in Whatsapp ≤ 2.18.15

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedMemory Safety
Published
14 May 2019
Modified
24 October 2025
KEV Added
19 April 2022
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.39 98th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2019-3568 is a critical-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Whatsapp Whatsapp. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

A buffer overflow vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2019-3568 and assigned CWE-122 and CWE-787, exists in the WhatsApp VOIP stack. It affects WhatsApp for Android prior to version 2.19.134, WhatsApp Business for Android prior to 2.19.44, WhatsApp for iOS prior to 2.19.51, WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to 2.19.51, WhatsApp for Windows Phone prior to 2.18.348, and WhatsApp for Tizen prior to 2.18.15. The flaw permits remote code execution when a target processes a specially crafted series of RTCP packets.

An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the issue by sending the malicious RTCP packets directly to a victim's phone number over the network. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to execute arbitrary code on the device with no user interaction required, corresponding to the maximum CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8.

Facebook security advisories and the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog recommend immediate application of the listed patched versions to address the vulnerability. The presence of the CVE in the CISA catalog indicates confirmed real-world exploitation activity.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of RTCP packets sent to a target phone number. The issue affects WhatsApp for Android prior to v2.19.134, WhatsApp Business for Android prior to…

more

v2.19.44, WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.19.51, WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to v2.19.51, WhatsApp for Windows Phone prior to v2.18.348, and WhatsApp for Tizen prior to v2.18.15.

CWE(s)
CWE-122CWE-787
KEV Date Added
19 April 2022

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth
Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-30051Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2024-38812Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2020-16010Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2023-4911Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2023-23376Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2021-21017Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2015-3113Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2023-27997Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2023-36036Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV
CVE-2023-28252Shared CWE-122, CWE-787both on KEV

Affected Assets

whatsapp
whatsapp
≤ 2.18.15 · ≤ 2.18.348 · ≤ 2.19.51
whatsapp
whatsapp business
≤ 2.19.44 · ≤ 2.19.51

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.4.1

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SI-16 Memory Protection
addresses: CWE-787

Out-of-bounds writes that corrupt control flow or inject shellcode are rendered non-executable by the same memory protections.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure-development practices directly require bounds checking and safe memory handling that prevent heap overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover heap-overflow flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Timely patching removes known heap-overflow instances after they exist.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect heap overflows before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates practices that reduce the likelihood of introducing heap overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory APIs that mitigate heap overflows.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture and engineering principles include memory-safety and input-validation controls that address heap overflows.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe techniques (safe functions, bounds checks) that prevent heap-based buffer overflows.

A.8.32 Change management partial match
prevents

Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.

References