CVE-2025-0995 Overview
CVE-2025-0995 is a Use After Free vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine used by Google Chrome prior to version 133.0.6943.98. This memory corruption flaw could allow a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page, leading to arbitrary code execution or browser compromise. V8 is Chrome's open-source JavaScript and WebAssembly engine, making vulnerabilities in this component particularly dangerous as they can be triggered simply by visiting a malicious webpage.
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can exploit heap corruption through a maliciously crafted HTML page, potentially achieving arbitrary code execution within the browser's sandbox or escaping sandbox protections entirely.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome versions prior to 133.0.6943.98
- Chromium-based browsers using vulnerable V8 engine versions
- Desktop platforms running affected Chrome versions (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-02-15 - CVE-2025-0995 published to NVD
- 2025-04-10 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-0995
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a critical memory corruption issue where a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed. In the context of V8, this occurs within the JavaScript execution engine, where object lifetime management can be manipulated through carefully crafted JavaScript code.
Use After Free vulnerabilities in V8 are particularly dangerous because they can be triggered remotely through web content. When JavaScript objects are processed, V8 manages memory allocation and deallocation. If an object is freed but a reference to it remains accessible, subsequent operations on that dangling pointer can lead to heap corruption, information disclosure, or code execution.
The attack requires user interaction in the form of visiting a malicious webpage, but no other privileges are needed for exploitation. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the Chrome renderer process sandbox, potentially combined with other vulnerabilities for full system compromise.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper memory management in the V8 JavaScript engine where an object reference persists after the associated memory has been deallocated. This creates a dangling pointer that, when dereferenced, accesses freed heap memory. The specific issue tracked in Chromium Issue 391907159 relates to object lifecycle handling within V8's heap management system.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based, requiring a victim to navigate to an attacker-controlled or compromised webpage containing malicious HTML and JavaScript. The exploitation flow typically follows this pattern:
- Attacker crafts a malicious HTML page with JavaScript designed to trigger the Use After Free condition
- Victim visits the malicious webpage using a vulnerable Chrome version
- V8 engine processes the JavaScript, causing an object to be freed while a reference remains
- Subsequent JavaScript operations access the freed memory, corrupting heap structures
- Attacker leverages heap corruption to achieve code execution or information disclosure
The vulnerability can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it accessible to any attacker who can lure a victim to malicious content.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-0995
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Chrome renderer process crashes or hangs when visiting specific websites
- Chrome crash reports indicating V8-related memory corruption errors
- Anomalous memory access patterns in Chrome processes logged by endpoint detection tools
- Presence of obfuscated JavaScript designed to manipulate object lifecycles on accessed webpages
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for Chrome crash reports with signatures related to V8 heap corruption or use-after-free conditions
- Deploy network-level inspection to identify malicious HTML pages with JavaScript patterns associated with memory corruption exploits
- Use endpoint detection to identify unusual Chrome process behavior, including unexpected memory allocation patterns
- Implement browser version auditing to ensure all Chrome installations are updated beyond 133.0.6943.98
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting and analyze crash dumps for V8-related memory errors
- Configure SentinelOne Singularity to monitor for suspicious browser process behavior and memory corruption indicators
- Implement web proxy logging to track user access to potentially malicious domains serving exploit content
- Deploy network traffic analysis to detect anomalous JavaScript payloads targeting browser vulnerabilities
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-0995
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 133.0.6943.98 or later immediately across all systems
- Enable Chrome's automatic update feature to ensure future security patches are applied promptly
- Consider temporarily restricting access to untrusted websites if immediate patching is not possible
- Review and apply updates to any Chromium-based browsers in the environment
Patch Information
Google has addressed this vulnerability in Chrome version 133.0.6943.98. The fix was announced in the Chrome Stable Channel Update for Desktop on February 12, 2025. Organizations should prioritize updating all Chrome installations to this version or later. The Chromium Issue Tracker contains additional technical details about the fix.
Workarounds
- If immediate patching is not feasible, consider using an alternative browser temporarily for sensitive activities
- Implement strict web filtering to block access to untrusted or suspicious domains
- Enable Chrome's Site Isolation feature to limit the impact of potential renderer compromises
- Deploy network-level protections to filter known malicious content patterns
# Verify Chrome version on Linux/macOS
google-chrome --version
# Force Chrome update on Windows via PowerShell
# Check Chrome version in registry
Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Google Chrome' | Select-Object DisplayVersion
# Enterprise deployment: Use Group Policy to enforce automatic updates
# Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Google > Google Update > Applications > Google Chrome
# Set "Update policy override" to "Always allow updates"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
