How severe is CVE-2020-1903?

CVE-2020-1903 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-1903 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-1903?

CVE-2020-1903 primarily affects Whatsapp. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-1903?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2020-1903 published?

CVE-2020-1903 was published on 2020-10-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-1903

CVE-2020-1903 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Whatsapp with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-400.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (47th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: Whatsapp
Published: 2020-10-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue when unzipping docx, pptx, and xlsx documents in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.20.61 and WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to v2.20.61 could have resulted in an out-of-memory denial of service. This issue would have required the receiver to explicitly open the attachment if it was received from a number not in the receiver's WhatsApp contacts.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-1903?: An issue when unzipping docx, pptx, and xlsx documents in WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.20.61 and WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to v2.20.61 could have resulted in an out-of-memory denial of service. This issue would have required the receiver to explicitly open the attachment if it was received from a number not in the receiver's WhatsApp contacts.
How severe is CVE-2020-1903?: CVE-2020-1903 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-1903 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-1903?: CVE-2020-1903 primarily affects Whatsapp. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-1903?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-1903 published?: CVE-2020-1903 was published on 2020-10-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2020/

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:whatsapp:whatsapp:*:*:*:*:*:iphone_os:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:whatsapp:whatsapp_business:*:*:*:*:*:iphone_os:*:*

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