CVE-2025-14766: Google Chrome V8 RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-14766 Overview

CVE-2025-14766 is an out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine used by Google Chrome. This memory corruption flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 143.0.7499.147 and allows remote attackers to potentially exploit heap corruption through a specially crafted HTML page. The vulnerability was rated as "High" severity by the Chromium security team.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this V8 heap corruption vulnerability to potentially achieve code execution or cause system instability by tricking users into visiting a malicious webpage.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome prior to version 143.0.7499.147
• Google Chrome on Microsoft Windows
• Google Chrome on Apple macOS
• Google Chrome on Linux

Discovery Timeline

• December 16, 2025 - CVE-2025-14766 published to NVD
• December 23, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-14766

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability affects the V8 JavaScript engine, which is the core JavaScript and WebAssembly execution component in Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers. The flaw is classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), but the official description indicates both read and write capabilities are affected, making this a particularly dangerous memory corruption issue.

V8 is responsible for parsing, compiling, and executing JavaScript code within the browser. When processing certain crafted JavaScript constructs, the engine fails to properly validate memory boundaries, leading to out-of-bounds memory access. This can result in heap corruption, which attackers can leverage to manipulate program execution flow or leak sensitive information from memory.

The attack requires user interaction—specifically, the victim must be lured to a malicious webpage containing the crafted HTML and JavaScript payload. Once the page is loaded, the vulnerable V8 engine processes the malicious code, triggering the memory corruption condition.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in improper bounds checking within the V8 JavaScript engine during specific memory operations. When handling certain JavaScript constructs or optimized code paths, V8 fails to adequately validate array indices or object property accesses, allowing read and write operations to occur outside the intended memory boundaries. This boundary validation failure leads to heap corruption conditions that can be exploited for further attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious HTML page containing JavaScript code designed to trigger the out-of-bounds condition in V8. The attack scenario typically involves:

1. The attacker hosts or injects malicious JavaScript into a webpage
2. The victim navigates to the compromised page using a vulnerable Chrome version
3. The V8 engine parses and executes the malicious JavaScript
4. The crafted code triggers the out-of-bounds read/write condition
5. The attacker potentially leverages heap corruption for code execution or information disclosure

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely with no special privileges required on the attacker's part. Technical details and proof-of-concept information can be found at the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14766

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Chrome renderer process crashes or instability when visiting specific websites
• Unexpected memory consumption spikes in Chrome processes
• Security tools detecting heap spray or memory corruption patterns in browser processes
• Browser crash reports indicating V8-related failures

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Chrome versions below 143.0.7499.147 in your environment using software inventory tools
• Implement endpoint detection rules for anomalous Chrome renderer behavior and suspicious JavaScript execution
• Deploy network security solutions to detect and block known malicious domains serving V8 exploits
• Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting to identify potential exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Utilize SentinelOne's Singularity platform to monitor for suspicious browser process behavior and memory anomalies
• Implement browser telemetry collection to track version compliance across endpoints
• Configure alerts for Chrome processes exhibiting unusual memory access patterns or crash signatures
• Monitor network traffic for connections to domains associated with browser exploit delivery

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14766

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 143.0.7499.147 or later immediately on all systems
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome to ensure timely patch deployment
• Review browser extension policies and remove unnecessary or untrusted extensions that could increase attack surface
• Consider implementing browser isolation technologies for high-risk browsing scenarios

Patch Information

Google has released a security update addressing this vulnerability in Chrome version 143.0.7499.147. The fix was announced in the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update released on December 16, 2025. Organizations should prioritize deploying this update across all managed Chrome installations on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.

To verify your Chrome version, navigate to chrome://settings/help or click the three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome. Chrome will automatically check for updates and prompt for installation.

Workarounds

• If immediate patching is not possible, consider using alternative browsers temporarily for sensitive browsing activities
• Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers on internal web applications to limit JavaScript execution
• Utilize network-based protections to block access to known exploit delivery domains
• Enable site isolation in Chrome (chrome://flags/#enable-site-per-process) if not already active to reduce cross-site attack impact

# Verify Chrome version via command line
# Windows (PowerShell)
(Get-Item "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe").VersionInfo.FileVersion

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

# Linux
google-chrome --version