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A critical security vulnerability in WhatsApp View Once has been discovered, allowing iPhone users to repeatedly access photos and videos meant for a single view. The flaw, first identified by cybersecurity researcher Ramshath, made it possible to bypass the feature’s intended restriction with a simple workaround.
By navigating to iPhone settings (Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage), finding the sender’s chat, and sorting media by “Newest,” users could reopen and view self-destructing media multiple times.
While this bug only impacted iOS users, its privacy risks were significant, given the widespread use of iPhones globally. Ramshath reported the issue to Meta’s bug bounty program, and the company acknowledged it was already working on a fix. A security patch has now been released in WhatsApp version 25.2.3 for iOS, and users are strongly advised to update their app to ensure data protection.
This isn’t the first time security issues have plagued WhatsApp View Once. In September 2024, a similar loophole allowed access to self-destructing media via direct file URLs. The repeated vulnerabilities raise concerns about the long-term reliability of WhatsApp’s privacy features, making users question whether sensitive content is truly secure.
WhatsApp Fixes Major Bug for Android Users
The most recent Android beta version of WhatsApp, 2.25.3.4 has fixed a major bug for Android users, who had previously reported an issue with the positioning of the chat bar when using the emoji keyboard.
The chat bar was misplaced, appearing underneath the emoji selector, making it difficult to type after selecting emojis. However, some users discovered alternative solutions, such as avoiding the emoji selection using awkward gestures.
The latest beta version fixes this problem by putting the chat bar back where it should be, so now typing is consistent and smooth again.
In addition to releasing improvements for the positioning of the chat bar, WhatsApp is also making a welcome screen for its upcoming chatbot tab that is driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This screen will help users understand how the tab works.
