CVE-2025-10501: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-10501 Overview

CVE-2025-10501 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the WebRTC component of Google Chrome prior to version 140.0.7339.185. A remote attacker can exploit heap corruption by serving a crafted HTML page to a target user. Google's Chromium project rates the security severity as High, and the CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8. The flaw is tracked under CWE-416: Use After Free and affects Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Successful exploitation requires the victim to load attacker-controlled web content, which makes drive-by attacks and malvertising practical delivery paths.

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

Affected Products

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

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-24 - CVE-2025-10501 published to NVD
2025-09-25 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-10501

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) subsystem of Chrome. WebRTC enables peer-to-peer audio, video, and data channel communication directly in the browser. A use-after-free condition [CWE-416] occurs when code continues to reference memory that has already been released back to the heap allocator. An attacker who controls the timing of allocations and frees can reclaim the freed slot with attacker-shaped data. The renderer then operates on that reclaimed memory using stale pointers or virtual function tables, which leads to heap corruption and potential control-flow hijacking.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management within WebRTC. An object is freed while another code path still holds a reference to it. Subsequent operations on that dangling reference trigger the memory safety violation. Full technical specifics are restricted in the Chromium Issue Tracker entry 440737137 pending broad patch deployment.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is the network with low complexity and no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. An attacker hosts a crafted HTML page that initiates WebRTC operations designed to trigger the freed-object reuse. When the victim visits the page or loads it through an embedded iframe or malicious advertisement, the renderer process processes the attacker's WebRTC offer or stream. The resulting heap corruption can be chained with a sandbox escape to achieve code execution outside the renderer.

No public proof-of-concept code has been released for CVE-2025-10501. Refer to the Google Chrome stable channel update for vendor details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10501

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer process crashes with heap corruption signatures shortly after visiting unfamiliar URLs
Unexpected child processes spawned by chrome.exe or the Chrome helper on macOS and Linux
Outbound WebRTC STUN or TURN traffic to non-corporate infrastructure from user endpoints
HTML pages embedding WebRTC RTCPeerConnection calls served from low-reputation domains

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across the fleet and flag any host running a build earlier than 140.0.7339.185
Correlate browser crash telemetry with web proxy logs to identify suspicious pages preceding renderer failures
Hunt for renderer processes that spawn shells, scripting hosts, or perform unusual file writes immediately after browsing activity

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable browser crash reporting and forward dumps to a central analysis pipeline
Monitor endpoint EDR telemetry for process injection or memory tampering originating from Chrome
Track DNS and HTTP requests to newly registered domains that host WebRTC signaling endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10501

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 140.0.7339.185 or later on Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints
Restart all Chrome instances after updating to ensure the patched binary is loaded
Verify managed deployments through enterprise update policies and confirm version compliance with software inventory tools
Block known malicious domains and restrict access to high-risk web categories at the proxy or DNS layer

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the Chrome Stable channel update published on September 17, 2025. The patched version is 140.0.7339.185 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Full details are available in the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory.

Workarounds

Disable WebRTC features via enterprise policy where business workflows do not require peer-to-peer media
Apply the URLBlocklist enterprise policy to prevent navigation to untrusted external sites until patching is complete
Enforce Site Isolation and ensure the Chrome sandbox is not disabled by group policy or command-line flags

bash

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

# Windows: query Chrome version from the registry
reg query "HKLM\Software\Google\Chrome\BLBeacon" /v version

# macOS: read the bundle version
defaults read "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Info" CFBundleShortVersionString