CVE-2019-18426Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Local-file disclosure via executable link-preview URI

Published Jan 21, 2020 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Cross-site scripting in WhatsApp Desktop before 0.3.9309 allows remote attackers to read local files through a crafted link preview. The link-preview renderer treats a javascript URI embedded in matched message text as clickable and executes it in the Electron context, where file fetches can read local data. Exploitation requires the victim to click the preview and Desktop to be paired with WhatsApp for iPhone before 2.20.10; the demonstrated consequence is local-file disclosure.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability67.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in WhatsApp Desktop before 0.3.9309 allows remote attackers to read local files through a crafted link preview. The link-preview renderer treats a javascript URI embedded in matched message text as clickable and executes it in the Electron context, where file fetches can read local data. Exploitation requires the victim to click the preview and Desktop to be paired with WhatsApp for iPhone before 2.20.10; the demonstrated consequence is local-file disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-18426
Published
Jan 21, 2020
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Product
WhatsApp Desktop
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 21, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0.3.9309
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <0.3.9309

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Meta Platforms, Inc. · WhatsApp Desktopversion=0.3.9309; version=unspecified <0.3.9309

Published CVSS scores

5.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
8.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N
8.2CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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