The SentinelOne Annual Threat Report - A Defenders Guide from the FrontlinesThe SentinelOne Annual Threat ReportGet the Report
Experiencing a Breach?Blog
Get StartedContact Us
SentinelOne
  • Platform
    Platform Overview
    • Singularity Platform
      Welcome to Integrated Enterprise Security
    • AI for Security
      Leading the Way in AI-Powered Security Solutions
    • Securing AI
      Accelerate AI Adoption with Secure AI Tools, Apps, and Agents.
    • How It Works
      The Singularity XDR Difference
    • Singularity Marketplace
      One-Click Integrations to Unlock the Power of XDR
    • Pricing & Packaging
      Comparisons and Guidance at a Glance
    Data & AI
    • Purple AI
      Accelerate SecOps with Generative AI
    • Singularity Hyperautomation
      Easily Automate Security Processes
    • AI-SIEM
      The AI SIEM for the Autonomous SOC
    • AI Data Pipelines
      Security Data Pipeline for AI SIEM and Data Optimization
    • Singularity Data Lake
      AI-Powered, Unified Data Lake
    • Singularity Data Lake for Log Analytics
      Seamlessly Ingest Data from On-Prem, Cloud or Hybrid Environments
    Endpoint Security
    • Singularity Endpoint
      Autonomous Prevention, Detection, and Response
    • Singularity XDR
      Native & Open Protection, Detection, and Response
    • Singularity RemoteOps Forensics
      Orchestrate Forensics at Scale
    • Singularity Threat Intelligence
      Comprehensive Adversary Intelligence
    • Singularity Vulnerability Management
      Application & OS Vulnerability Management
    • Singularity Identity
      Identity Threat Detection and Response
    Cloud Security
    • Singularity Cloud Security
      Block Attacks with an AI-Powered CNAPP
    • Singularity Cloud Native Security
      Secure Cloud and Development Resources
    • Singularity Cloud Workload Security
      Real-Time Cloud Workload Protection Platform
    • Singularity Cloud Data Security
      AI-Powered Threat Detection for Cloud Storage
    • Singularity Cloud Security Posture Management
      Detect and Remediate Cloud Misconfigurations
    Securing AI
    • Prompt Security
      Secure AI Tools Across Your Enterprise
  • Why SentinelOne?
    Why SentinelOne?
    • Why SentinelOne?
      Cybersecurity Built for What’s Next
    • Our Customers
      Trusted by the World’s Leading Enterprises
    • Industry Recognition
      Tested and Proven by the Experts
    • About Us
      The Industry Leader in Autonomous Cybersecurity
    Compare SentinelOne
    • Arctic Wolf
    • Broadcom
    • CrowdStrike
    • Cybereason
    • Microsoft
    • Palo Alto Networks
    • Sophos
    • Splunk
    • Trellix
    • Trend Micro
    • Wiz
    Verticals
    • Energy
    • Federal Government
    • Finance
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Education
    • K-12 Education
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • State and Local Government
  • Services
    Managed Services
    • Managed Services Overview
      Wayfinder Threat Detection & Response
    • Threat Hunting
      World-Class Expertise and Threat Intelligence
    • Managed Detection & Response
      24/7/365 Expert MDR Across Your Entire Environment
    • Incident Readiness & Response
      DFIR, Breach Readiness, & Compromise Assessments
    Support, Deployment, & Health
    • Technical Account Management
      Customer Success with Personalized Service
    • SentinelOne GO
      Guided Onboarding & Deployment Advisory
    • SentinelOne University
      Live and On-Demand Training
    • Services Overview
      Comprehensive Solutions for Seamless Security Operations
    • SentinelOne Community
      Community Login
  • Partners
    Our Network
    • MSSP Partners
      Succeed Faster with SentinelOne
    • Singularity Marketplace
      Extend the Power of S1 Technology
    • Cyber Risk Partners
      Enlist Pro Response and Advisory Teams
    • Technology Alliances
      Integrated, Enterprise-Scale Solutions
    • SentinelOne for AWS
      Hosted in AWS Regions Around the World
    • Channel Partners
      Deliver the Right Solutions, Together
    • SentinelOne for Google Cloud
      Unified, Autonomous Security Giving Defenders the Advantage at Global Scale
    • Partner Locator
      Your Go-to Source for Our Top Partners in Your Region
    Partner Portal→
  • Resources
    Resource Center
    • Case Studies
    • Data Sheets
    • eBooks
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
    View All Resources→
    Blog
    • Feature Spotlight
    • For CISO/CIO
    • From the Front Lines
    • Identity
    • Cloud
    • macOS
    • SentinelOne Blog
    Blog→
    Tech Resources
    • SentinelLABS
    • Ransomware Anthology
    • Cybersecurity 101
  • About
    About SentinelOne
    • About SentinelOne
      The Industry Leader in Cybersecurity
    • Investor Relations
      Financial Information & Events
    • SentinelLABS
      Threat Research for the Modern Threat Hunter
    • Careers
      The Latest Job Opportunities
    • Press & News
      Company Announcements
    • Cybersecurity Blog
      The Latest Cybersecurity Threats, News, & More
    • FAQ
      Get Answers to Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
    • DataSet
      The Live Data Platform
    • S Foundation
      Securing a Safer Future for All
    • S Ventures
      Investing in the Next Generation of Security, Data and AI
  • Pricing
Get StartedContact Us
CVE Vulnerability Database
Vulnerability Database/CVE-2025-12438

CVE-2025-12438: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-12438 is a use after free flaw in Ozone affecting Google Chrome on Linux and ChromeOS. Attackers can exploit object corruption via crafted HTML. This article covers technical details, affected versions, and patches.

Published: April 22, 2026

CVE-2025-12438 Overview

CVE-2025-12438 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Ozone component of Google Chrome on Linux and ChromeOS platforms. This memory corruption flaw exists in versions prior to 142.0.7444.59 and can be triggered when a user visits a maliciously crafted HTML page. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to potentially corrupt objects in memory, leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser process.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit object corruption through crafted HTML pages, potentially achieving arbitrary code execution on vulnerable Linux and ChromeOS systems running Google Chrome versions prior to 142.0.7444.59.

Affected Products

  • Google Chrome prior to version 142.0.7444.59 on Linux
  • Google Chrome prior to version 142.0.7444.59 on ChromeOS
  • Linux-based systems running vulnerable Chrome versions

Discovery Timeline

  • 2025-11-10 - CVE-2025-12438 published to NVD
  • 2025-11-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-12438

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a critical memory safety issue that occurs when an application continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed. In the context of Google Chrome's Ozone component—the platform abstraction layer responsible for graphics and input handling on Linux and ChromeOS—this flaw enables object corruption through improper memory management.

Ozone handles window management, display output, and input device communication, making it a critical component for the browser's interaction with the underlying operating system. When memory associated with Ozone objects is freed but subsequently accessed, attackers can manipulate the freed memory region to inject malicious data structures, potentially hijacking control flow and executing arbitrary code.

The vulnerability requires user interaction, as the victim must navigate to or be redirected to an attacker-controlled HTML page containing the exploit payload. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escape the browser's security sandbox or execute code with the privileges of the Chrome process.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-12438 lies in improper lifecycle management of objects within the Ozone platform abstraction layer. A specific code path fails to properly track object references, resulting in a dangling pointer scenario where freed memory is subsequently dereferenced. This typically occurs when asynchronous operations or event handlers retain references to objects that have been destroyed, creating a window for exploitation through carefully timed memory operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring user interaction. An attacker would need to:

  1. Host a malicious HTML page containing JavaScript designed to trigger the use-after-free condition
  2. Lure a victim to visit the malicious page through phishing, malvertising, or compromised legitimate websites
  3. The crafted page would manipulate Chrome's Ozone component through specific rendering or input operations
  4. Upon triggering the vulnerability, the attacker could achieve object corruption and potentially execute arbitrary code

The attack can be delivered through any mechanism that causes Chrome to render attacker-controlled HTML content, including embedded iframes, redirects, or direct navigation.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-12438

Indicators of Compromise

  • Unexpected Chrome browser crashes or instability, particularly on Linux or ChromeOS systems
  • Memory access violation errors in Chrome process logs related to Ozone components
  • Suspicious network connections originating from Chrome processes to unknown external hosts
  • Unusual child process spawning from Chrome browser processes

Detection Strategies

  • Monitor for Chrome crash reports indicating memory corruption in Ozone-related modules
  • Implement browser version auditing to identify systems running Chrome versions prior to 142.0.7444.59
  • Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify exploitation patterns targeting use-after-free vulnerabilities in browsers
  • Analyze web traffic for suspicious HTML/JavaScript patterns associated with browser exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

  • Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting and review crash dumps for memory corruption indicators
  • Implement centralized logging for browser events and correlate with network activity
  • Deploy SentinelOne's real-time behavioral analysis to detect exploit chains targeting browser vulnerabilities
  • Monitor for unusual memory allocation patterns in Chrome processes using endpoint telemetry

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-12438

Immediate Actions Required

  • Update Google Chrome to version 142.0.7444.59 or later immediately on all Linux and ChromeOS systems
  • Enable automatic Chrome updates to ensure timely patching of future vulnerabilities
  • Implement web filtering to block access to known malicious domains hosting browser exploits
  • Consider using browser isolation technologies for high-risk users until patching is complete

Patch Information

Google has addressed this vulnerability in Chrome version 142.0.7444.59. The fix was announced in the Google Chrome Update Announcement. Organizations should verify that Chrome auto-update mechanisms are functioning properly and that all managed browsers have been updated to the patched version. For ChromeOS devices, ensure system updates are applied through your device management console.

Additional technical details can be found in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.

Workarounds

  • Restrict browser usage to trusted websites until the patch can be applied
  • Enable Chrome's Site Isolation feature to limit the impact of potential exploitation
  • Disable JavaScript execution on untrusted sites using browser policies or extensions as a temporary measure
  • Consider using an alternative browser on critical systems until Chrome can be updated
bash
# Verify Chrome version on Linux systems
google-chrome --version

# Force Chrome update check (Linux)
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade google-chrome-stable

# For enterprise environments, verify Chrome policy enforcement
cat /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/*.json | grep -i "update"

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

  • Vulnerability Details
  • TypeUse After Free

  • Vendor/TechGoogle Chrome

  • SeverityHIGH

  • CVSS Score8.8

  • EPSS Probability0.10%

  • Known ExploitedNo
  • CVSS Vector
  • CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Impact Assessment
  • ConfidentialityLow
  • IntegrityHigh
  • AvailabilityHigh
  • CWE References
  • CWE-416
  • Technical References
  • Chromium Issue Tracker Entry
  • Vendor Resources
  • Google Chrome Update Announcement
  • Related CVEs
  • CVE-2026-7956: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

  • CVE-2026-7970: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

  • CVE-2026-7897: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

  • CVE-2026-7898: Google Chrome Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Default Legacy - Prefooter | Experience the World’s Most Advanced Cybersecurity Platform

Experience the World’s Most Advanced Cybersecurity Platform

See how our intelligent, autonomous cybersecurity platform can protect your organization now and into the future.

Try SentinelOne
  • Get Started
  • Get a Demo
  • Product Tour
  • Why SentinelOne
  • Pricing & Packaging
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Contact Us
  • Customer Support
  • SentinelOne Status
  • Language
  • Platform
  • Singularity Platform
  • Singularity Endpoint
  • Singularity Cloud
  • Singularity AI-SIEM
  • Singularity Identity
  • Singularity Marketplace
  • Purple AI
  • Services
  • Wayfinder TDR
  • SentinelOne GO
  • Technical Account Management
  • Support Services
  • Verticals
  • Energy
  • Federal Government
  • Finance
  • Healthcare
  • Higher Education
  • K-12 Education
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • State and Local Government
  • Cybersecurity for SMB
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Labs
  • Case Studies
  • Videos
  • Product Tours
  • Events
  • Cybersecurity 101
  • eBooks
  • Webinars
  • Whitepapers
  • Press
  • News
  • Ransomware Anthology
  • Company
  • About Us
  • Our Customers
  • Careers
  • Partners
  • Legal & Compliance
  • Security & Compliance
  • Investor Relations
  • S Foundation
  • S Ventures

©2026 SentinelOne, All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Notice Terms of Use

English