CVE-2025-11211: Google Chrome RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-11211 Overview

CVE-2025-11211 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Media component of Google Chrome prior to version 141.0.7390.54. A remote attacker can trigger out-of-bounds memory access by serving a crafted HTML page to a target browser. Chromium classifies the security severity as Medium, while the NVD assessment rates the issue as High due to the network-reachable attack surface and the potential to disclose process memory contents. The flaw affects Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop builds. No public proof-of-concept code, exploit kit integration, or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported as of publication.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can read out-of-bounds memory in the Chrome renderer through a crafted HTML page, potentially exposing sensitive process memory without user interaction beyond visiting a page.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome prior to 141.0.7390.54 on Microsoft Windows
• Google Chrome prior to 141.0.7390.54 on Apple macOS
• Google Chrome prior to 141.0.7390.54 on Linux

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-11-06 - CVE-2025-11211 published to the National Vulnerability Database
• 2025-11-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11211

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read [CWE-125] within Chrome's Media component. The Media subsystem parses and decodes audio and video content delivered through HTML5 elements, the Media Source Extensions API, and related browser pipelines. When the component processes a specially crafted media stream embedded in an HTML page, it reads memory outside the bounds of an allocated buffer.

The attack is reachable over the network with no privileges and no user interaction beyond browsing to attacker-controlled content. The impact is limited to confidentiality, as the read operation can leak adjacent heap memory but does not directly corrupt memory or alter execution. Leaked memory may include sensitive content from the renderer process, such as session tokens, cached credentials, or pointers useful for bypassing Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) in chained exploits.

Root Cause

The defect stems from missing or incorrect bounds validation in the media parsing or decoding routines. When the component computes an offset or length from attacker-supplied media metadata, the value is not constrained to the size of the backing buffer before a read occurs. Refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for technical details once embargo restrictions are lifted.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a victim to load a crafted HTML page hosted by the attacker or delivered through a compromised third-party site, malvertising, or an embedded iframe. The page references media content engineered to drive the Chrome Media component down a code path that performs the unsafe read. No authentication or local access is needed.

No verified public exploit code is available. The vulnerability is described in prose only; consult the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory for vendor guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11211

Indicators of Compromise

• Chrome renderer process crashes with signals consistent with memory access faults shortly after loading external media content.
• Outbound connections from browser hosts to domains serving unusual or malformed media payloads.
• Browser telemetry events showing Chrome versions earlier than 141.0.7390.54 actively browsing the web.

Detection Strategies

• Inventory installed Chrome versions across managed endpoints and flag any build below 141.0.7390.54.
• Inspect web proxy and DNS logs for content delivery patterns associated with malvertising networks and suspicious media hosting infrastructure.
• Correlate renderer crash dumps from endpoint telemetry with browser history to identify pages that may have triggered the flaw.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable EDR collection of browser process crash events and child process spawns from chrome.exe, Google Chrome, and chrome binaries.
• Track Chrome update compliance through enterprise management tooling and alert on stalled updates.
• Monitor for unexpected data egress from user workstations that may indicate post-exploitation memory disclosure.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11211

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 141.0.7390.54 or later on all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
• Force a browser restart through enterprise policy to ensure the patched binary is loaded for active users.
• Validate that Chrome auto-update services are running and not blocked by network or host firewalls.

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2025-11211 in Chrome 141.0.7390.54 as part of the Stable channel update. Full release notes are available in the Google Chrome Desktop Update. Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi inherit the fix once they incorporate the corresponding Chromium milestone.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to untrusted websites through web filtering or browser isolation until patching is complete.
• Disable autoplay and limit media element execution on high-risk user populations through enterprise policy.
• Deploy Chrome enterprise policies that enforce minimum browser versions and block launch of out-of-date installations.

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

# Windows: query installed version via registry
reg query "HKLM\Software\Google\Update\Clients\{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}" /v pv

# macOS: query installed version
defaults read /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/Info CFBundleShortVersionString