CVE-2025-1916: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-1916 Overview

CVE-2025-1916 is a Use After Free vulnerability in the Profiles component of Google Chrome prior to version 134.0.6998.35. This memory corruption flaw allows an attacker who convinces a user to install a malicious extension to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. The vulnerability requires user interaction but can lead to serious consequences including arbitrary code execution within the browser context.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, compromise browser integrity, access sensitive user data, and potentially gain control over the affected system through heap corruption.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 134.0.6998.35
• All platforms running vulnerable Chrome versions (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Chromium-based browsers potentially affected

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-05 - CVE-2025-1916 published to NVD
• 2025-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-1916

Vulnerability Analysis

This Use After Free vulnerability (CWE-416) exists in the Profiles component of Google Chrome. Use After Free conditions occur when memory that has been freed is subsequently accessed, leading to undefined behavior. In this case, the vulnerability manifests when handling profile-related operations, where a memory reference persists after the underlying object has been deallocated.

The attack requires the victim to install a malicious browser extension, which then serves as the delivery mechanism for crafted HTML content. When the vulnerable code path is triggered, the freed memory can be reclaimed and populated with attacker-controlled data, enabling heap corruption and potential code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from improper memory management in Chrome's Profiles component. When profile-related objects are deallocated, references to those objects are not properly invalidated in all code paths. This dangling pointer can then be dereferenced during subsequent operations triggered by malicious extension code, leading to the use of freed memory. The vulnerability specifically relates to how Chrome manages profile state transitions and extension interactions with the profile system.

Attack Vector

The attack requires a network-based delivery mechanism with user interaction. An attacker must first convince the target user to install a malicious Chrome extension. Once installed, the extension can craft specific HTML content and trigger profile operations that exploit the Use After Free condition. The malicious extension serves as both the delivery mechanism and the trigger for the vulnerable code path.

The exploitation chain involves:

1. Social engineering to install a malicious extension
2. Extension delivers crafted HTML page content
3. HTML triggers profile operations causing heap corruption
4. Attacker gains code execution within the browser sandbox

The vulnerability mechanism involves improper lifecycle management in Chrome's profile handling code. When profile-related objects are processed, certain code paths fail to properly validate memory references after deallocation events. A malicious extension can manipulate this timing to access freed memory containing attacker-controlled data. For detailed technical information, see the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-1916

Indicators of Compromise

• Presence of unfamiliar or recently installed browser extensions with excessive permissions
• Chrome crash reports indicating heap corruption in profile-related modules
• Unusual browser behavior following extension installation, including unexpected profile switches
• Memory access violations in Chrome process logs referencing profile components

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Chrome version across endpoints and flag installations running versions prior to 134.0.6998.35
• Implement endpoint detection rules for suspicious extension installations requesting profile access
• Deploy browser extension whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized extension installation
• Analyze Chrome crash dumps for signatures consistent with Use After Free exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome enterprise logging to capture extension installation and profile operation events
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on multiple Chrome crashes from the same endpoint
• Monitor for lateral movement or data exfiltration attempts following browser anomalies
• Track extension permission changes that could indicate compromise preparation

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-1916

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 134.0.6998.35 or later immediately across all systems
• Audit installed browser extensions and remove any unrecognized or suspicious extensions
• Implement browser extension installation policies to require administrator approval
• Enable Chrome's Enhanced Safe Browsing to improve protection against malicious extensions

Patch Information

Google has addressed this vulnerability in Chrome version 134.0.6998.35, released in March 2025. The fix properly manages memory lifecycle in the Profiles component, ensuring references are invalidated when objects are freed. Organizations should deploy this update through their standard patch management processes. For full details, see the Google Chrome Desktop Update.

Workarounds

• Restrict Chrome extension installation to only approved extensions via enterprise policy
• Implement browser isolation technologies to contain potential exploitation impact
• Consider using Chrome's --disable-extensions flag in high-security environments where extensions are not required
• Deploy network-based controls to block access to known malicious extension distribution sites

# Chrome enterprise policy configuration to restrict extensions
# Configure via Group Policy or Chrome Enterprise policies

# Block all extensions except approved list (Windows Registry)
# HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallBlocklist
# Set value "*" to block all extensions by default

# Allowlist specific approved extensions
# HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallAllowlist
# Add approved extension IDs

# Force Chrome auto-update to ensure latest patches
# HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update\UpdateDefault = 1