# CVE-2019-11933: Memory corruption in WhatsApp for Android

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via a heap buffer overflow in the GIF library used by WhatsApp for Android.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4hmc-9q64-h23p

## What is CVE-2019-11933?

CVE-2019-11933 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Facebook WhatsApp for Android, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A heap buffer overflow bug in libpl_droidsonroids_gif before 1.2.19, as used in WhatsApp for Android before version 2.19.291 could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-11933?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Libpl Droidsonroids Gif Project Libpl Droidsonroids Gif, Whatsapp Whatsapp.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-11933?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-11933 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-11933 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11933 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Heap corruption in WhatsApp's media picker (github_poc): https://github.com/NatleoJ/CVE-2019-11933
- https://github.com/KISH84172/CVE-2019-11933 (github_poc): https://github.com/KISH84172/CVE-2019-11933

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-11933 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-11933 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Facebook WhatsApp for Android, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11933 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Facebook WhatsApp for Android. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11933/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11933/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-11933
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11933
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-11933

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11933/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.