HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2017-8769
MEDIUM

CVE-2017-8769

CWE-311Published: May 18, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

4.6
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Facebook WhatsApp Messenger before 2.16.323 for Android uses the SD card for cleartext storage of files (Audio, Documents, Images, Video, and Voice Notes) associated with a chat, even after that chat is deleted. There may be users who expect file deletion to occur upon chat deletion, or who expect encryption (consistent with the application's use of an encrypted database to store chat text). NOTE: the vendor reportedly indicates that they do not "consider these to be security issues" because a user may legitimately want to preserve any file for use "in other apps like the Google Photos gallery" regardless of whether its associated chat is deleted

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-8769 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 4.6.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorPhysical
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

whatsapp1 product(s)
whatsapp
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/100906
ADVISORYhttps://wwws.nightwatchcybersecurity.com/2017/05/17/advisory-whatsapp-for-android-privacy-issues-with-handling-of-media-files-cve-2017-8769/
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/100906
ADVISORYhttps://wwws.nightwatchcybersecurity.com/2017/05/17/advisory-whatsapp-for-android-privacy-issues-with-handling-of-media-files-cve-2017-8769/

All References (4)

→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/100906Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://wwws.nightwatchcybersecurity.com/2017/05/17/advisory-whatsapp-for-android-privacy-issues-with-handling-of-media-files-cve-2017-8769/Exploit · Mitigation · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/100906Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://wwws.nightwatchcybersecurity.com/2017/05/17/advisory-whatsapp-for-android-privacy-issues-with-handling-of-media-files-cve-2017-8769/Exploit · Mitigation · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2017-8769
CVSS Score4.6 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-311
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedMay 18, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-311)

CVE-2019-6526
9.8
CVE-2019-11367
9.8
CVE-2018-16879
9.8
CVE-2018-20100
9.8
CVE-2018-17915
9.8
CVE-2018-10698
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2017-8769 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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