A vulnerability identified in WhatsApp for Android can allow you to view some private photographs on your smartphone without first unlocking the device. The issue was first reported on X and later verified by other sources as well, showing behavior that shouldn’t be possible on a PIN or biometrics protected phone.
The problem exploits WhatsApp calls that can be received and accepted directly from the lock screensimilarly to normal telephone calls. Once the conversation has started, the app allows you to access tools dedicated to filters and video effects. Among these functions also appears the one that uses Meta’s artificial intelligence to modify a photograph.
It is precisely this step that creates the problem. Through the procedure, in fact, a preview of the images present on the device can appear before unlocking with PIN or biometric data is requested. This allows a person to have physical access to the phone may be able to view content that should remain protected from the lock screen.
This WhatsApp vulnerability should not apply to all Android smartphones
The vulnerability, however, does not appear to behave the same way on all Android smartphones. Reported tests indicate that Some Samsung Galaxy devices block access and require unlocking first. On the contrary, models Pixel and Oppo analyzed during the checks allowed the procedure to be completed. On iPhone the problem does not appear to be presentalso because WhatsApp uses the native iOS calling interface.
However, the access obtained is limited to images and does not allow you to completely bypass the lock screen. It would therefore not be possible to freely use the rest of the smartphone. The main risk is the possibility of look at photographs private and, in theory, to shoot them with another device. The problem has been reported to both WhatsApp and Google.
At the moment A specific update to fix the vulnerability has not been announced. In the meantime, it is possible to reduce the risk by changing the permissions granted to WhatsApp for photos and videos in the Android settings, choosing the option that limits access to content.
