CVE-2025-10500: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-10500 Overview

CVE-2025-10500 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Dawn component of Google Chrome. Dawn is the open-source implementation of the WebGPU standard that Chrome uses to expose GPU functionality to web content. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 140.0.7339.185 across Windows, macOS, and Linux. A remote attacker can trigger heap corruption by enticing a user to load a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the renderer process. Google rates the Chromium security severity as High, and the issue is tracked as [CWE-416].

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can corrupt heap memory through a malicious web page, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution in the Chrome renderer process.

Affected Products

Google Chrome versions prior to 140.0.7339.185
Chrome on Microsoft Windows
Chrome on Apple macOS and Linux

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-24 - CVE-2025-10500 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2025-09-25 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-10500

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Dawn, the WebGPU implementation shipped with Chromium. Dawn manages GPU resources such as buffers, textures, and command encoders on behalf of web pages that use the WebGPU JavaScript API. A use-after-free condition occurs when code retains a pointer to a Dawn object after the underlying memory has been released. When the dangling pointer is dereferenced, the attacker can manipulate heap layout to control the freed region. This primitive enables heap corruption that can be escalated to arbitrary code execution inside the renderer sandbox. Combined with a sandbox escape, the bug can lead to full system compromise.

Root Cause

The root cause is incorrect object lifetime management in Dawn, classified as [CWE-416] Use After Free. Dawn objects can be freed while other code paths still hold references to them, typically because of asynchronous GPU operations or mismatched reference counting between JavaScript bindings and native GPU resources. See Chromium Issue Tracker #435875050 for the upstream tracking entry.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is network-based and requires user interaction. The victim must visit or be redirected to a malicious HTML page that issues crafted WebGPU calls. The attacker page allocates and frees Dawn objects in a sequence that produces a dangling pointer, then sprays the heap to position controlled data in the freed slot. When Dawn dereferences the stale pointer, the attacker gains influence over heap operations and program flow inside the renderer. The vulnerability does not require privileges on the target system. Drive-by-download scenarios, malvertising, and compromised websites are realistic delivery methods.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the issue is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10500

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer process crashes referencing Dawn, WebGPU, or GPU command buffer modules
Outbound connections from Chrome to unexpected domains following visits to untrusted sites
Spawning of child processes from chrome.exe after rendering a WebGPU-enabled page
Browser telemetry showing Chrome versions below 140.0.7339.185 still deployed in the environment

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across endpoints and flag any build earlier than 140.0.7339.185
Monitor Chromium crash reports and Windows Error Reporting events tied to the GPU process and Dawn modules
Apply behavioral identification rules for renderer-spawned shells, LOLBins, or unsigned binaries executing after browser activity
Inspect web proxy and DNS logs for traffic to newly registered domains hosting WebGPU content

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize Chrome version telemetry in your SIEM or data lake and alert on noncompliant hosts
Correlate browser process trees with EDR telemetry to surface post-exploitation activity
Track GPU process termination patterns, which often precede renderer exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10500

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 140.0.7339.185 or later on Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints
Restart Chrome after the update so the patched binaries load on every user session
Validate Chromium-based browsers and embedded WebViews for downstream patches that incorporate the Dawn fix
Enforce automatic Chrome updates through enterprise policy to reduce patch lag

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2025-10500 in the Stable Channel update detailed in the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory. The fix ships in Chrome 140.0.7339.185 and later. Chromium-derived browsers including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi require their vendor-specific patched releases that integrate the Dawn fix.

Workarounds

Disable WebGPU through enterprise policy by setting the Enabled state of the WebGPU feature flag to off where compatibility allows
Restrict browsing to trusted sites using web filtering or DNS security controls until patches are deployed
Apply group policies that block users from postponing Chrome updates

bash

# Verify Chrome version on Linux
google-chrome --version

# Verify Chrome version on macOS
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --version

# Windows: enforce minimum version via registry (example)
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome" /v TargetVersionPrefix /t REG_SZ /d "140.0.7339.185" /f