14 DAY TRIAL // A bug in the latest version of WhatsApp allows pretty much any iPhone user to bypass the Face ID or Touch ID lock in the application to access conversations.
Earlier this year, the iOS version of WhatsApp received a new update that brought options to lock down the application with Face ID or Touch ID, whichever is available on the iPhone where it is installed.
This technically makes it possible for users to restrict access to WhatsApp regardless of the lock settings on the iPhone.
But as one reddit user discovered, bypassing these locks is very easy due to a bug in WhatsApp.
How to reproduce the bug
First and foremost, you need to launch the iOS Share Sheet from any other application, like the Photos app, and then click the WhatsApp icon.
“While transitioning to the next screen, you observe that no FaceID or TouchID verification takes place if an option other than “Immediately” was set previously. Now just exit out to the iOS Home Screen. (If in some cases, it asks for FaceID or TouchID verification, just cancel it and try clicking on WhatsApp icon in the iOS Share Sheet again),” the user explains.
The next time you try to open WhatsApp, the biometric login is no longer required and users are taken directly to the list of conversations within the app.
In a statement for Reuters, Facebook says a fix is already on its way in order to resolve this behavior and prevent the biometric login from being bypassed.
“We are aware of the issue and a fix will be available shortly. In the meantime, we recommend that people set the screen lock option to ‘immediately,’” the company was quoted as saying.
No details have been provided as to when the update could be shipped, but it should go live this week.