CVE-2025-13992: Chrome Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2025-13992 Overview

CVE-2025-13992 is a side-channel information leakage vulnerability in the Navigation and Loading components of Google Chrome prior to version 139.0.7258.66. A remote attacker can bypass site isolation by serving a crafted HTML page to a targeted user. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-1300] (Improper Protection of Physical Side Channels), reflecting weaknesses that allow observation of internal state through indirect signals. Chromium's security team rated the severity as Medium. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, such as visiting the attacker-controlled page, and results in confidentiality impact without affecting integrity or availability.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can bypass Chrome's site isolation boundary through a crafted HTML page, exposing cross-origin information that site isolation is designed to protect.

Affected Products

Google Chrome versions prior to 139.0.7258.66
Chrome running on Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Linux desktop platforms
Chromium-based browsers that inherit the vulnerable Navigation and Loading code paths

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-03 - CVE-2025-13992 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13992

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's Navigation and Loading subsystems, which coordinate how documents, subframes, and resources are fetched and committed across processes. Site isolation is the browser's core security boundary that assigns different sites to different renderer processes so that a compromised or malicious page cannot read data belonging to another origin. This flaw exposes a side channel during navigation and resource loading that allows a remote page to infer information about cross-origin content that site isolation should conceal. The attacker does not need elevated privileges. They only need the victim to load a crafted HTML page, which then measures observable signals such as timing or loading state to deduce protected data.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper protection of a side channel in navigation and loading logic, mapped to [CWE-1300]. Cross-process operations tied to navigation reveal timing or state differences that correlate with cross-origin data. Because site isolation depends on preventing any cross-site inference, this observable behavior undermines the boundary even when direct access controls are correctly enforced.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a malicious HTML page and lures the victim to visit it, for example through phishing, malvertising, or a compromised site. Client-side script on that page issues navigations or resource loads and measures the resulting side-channel signals to reconstruct information from another origin. No authentication or prior foothold on the victim host is required. See the Chromium Issue #40095391 tracker for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13992

Indicators of Compromise

Browser telemetry showing Chrome versions earlier than 139.0.7258.66 still deployed on managed endpoints
Web proxy logs recording repeated navigation or subresource fetches to unusual cross-origin endpoints originating from a single tab in a short window
Endpoint logs showing Chrome renderer processes performing high-frequency load timing measurements against third-party origins

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome builds across the estate and flag any version below 139.0.7258.66 for remediation
Correlate DNS and HTTP proxy logs to identify user sessions that visit low-reputation domains followed by bursts of cross-origin navigation activity
Use browser management policies to report installed version and update channel status back to a central console for continuous compliance review

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor Chrome auto-update health to confirm endpoints receive the stable channel patch that resolves this issue
Track user reports of unexpected redirects, popups, or navigations that could indicate exposure to crafted HTML pages exploiting side channels
Ingest browser and proxy logs into a central analytics platform so cross-origin loading anomalies can be correlated with user behavior

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13992

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 139.0.7258.66 or later on all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints
Verify that Chrome auto-update is enabled and not blocked by group policy or network filtering
Restart Chrome after the update so the fixed navigation and loading code is loaded into all renderer processes

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2025-13992 in the Chrome stable channel with the release that shipped 139.0.7258.66. Deployment details and channel notes are available in the Stable Channel Update for Desktop. Enterprises using managed Chrome should push the update through their standard software distribution mechanism and confirm version compliance on all managed devices.

Workarounds

If immediate patching is not possible, restrict browsing to trusted sites through web filtering to reduce exposure to crafted HTML pages
Enforce Chrome enterprise policies that keep site isolation enabled and block installation of unmanaged Chromium builds that may lag behind the fix
Educate users about phishing lures and unsolicited links, since exploitation requires the victim to load the attacker-controlled page

bash

# Verify installed Chrome version on Windows, macOS, and Linux
# Windows (PowerShell)
(Get-Item "$env:ProgramFiles\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe").VersionInfo.ProductVersion

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

# Linux
google-chrome --version

# Expected: 139.0.7258.66 or later