CVE-2025-4052: Google Chrome Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-4052 Overview

CVE-2025-4052 is a discretionary access control bypass in the DevTools component of Google Chrome before version 136.0.7103.59. A remote attacker can serve a crafted HTML page and, after convincing a user to perform specific UI gestures, bypass discretionary access control checks enforced by the browser. The flaw is tracked under CWE-838, Inappropriate Encoding for Output Context, and was addressed by Google in the Stable channel update for desktop on April 29, 2025. Chromium's internal severity rating for the issue is Low, while the NVD assessment places the CVSS score at 9.8.

Critical Impact
A remote attacker can bypass discretionary access control through DevTools by luring a user into specific UI gestures on a crafted HTML page.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on Desktop prior to 136.0.7103.59
Chromium-based browsers integrating affected DevTools code
Enterprise managed Chrome deployments not yet on the Stable channel update

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-29 - Google releases Stable channel update for desktop addressing the issue
2025-05-05 - CVE-2025-4052 published to NVD
2025-05-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-4052

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome DevTools, the in-browser developer environment that operates with elevated privileges relative to ordinary web content. DevTools is permitted to interact with browser internals and local resources that standard pages cannot reach. The flaw stems from an inappropriate implementation that fails to enforce discretionary access control boundaries between attacker-controlled web content and privileged DevTools surfaces. A remote attacker delivers a crafted HTML page and induces the user to perform specific UI gestures. Those gestures cause DevTools logic to act on attacker-influenced input, bypassing the access control checks that normally separate untrusted web origins from privileged operations. The result is access to functionality or data the origin should not reach. The Chromium project rated the underlying issue Low, reflecting the user interaction requirement and the constrained primitive available to the attacker.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper encoding or handling of output passed between web content and DevTools internals, classified as [CWE-838]. DevTools does not correctly distinguish trusted privileged contexts from attacker-supplied content during specific UI flows.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-delivered and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a crafted HTML page and convinces the victim to perform a specific sequence of UI gestures, such as opening DevTools or interacting with a prepared DevTools surface, to trigger the bypass. No authentication is required on the attacker side.

No public proof-of-concept code or exploit is available for this vulnerability. Technical details are tracked in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Releases announcement.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-4052

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome browser processes running versions earlier than 136.0.7103.59 in enterprise inventory
Unexpected DevTools (devtools://) navigations or window openings triggered from untrusted origins
HTML pages that programmatically attempt to coerce DevTools-related UI gestures

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome builds across the fleet and flag any version below 136.0.7103.59
Inspect web proxy and DNS logs for repeat visits to unfamiliar domains immediately followed by browser anomalies
Correlate browser child process activity with access to local files or browser-managed resources outside normal user workflows

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize Chrome version telemetry through endpoint management and alert on outdated builds
Monitor for unusual file reads or writes initiated by chrome.exe shortly after browsing sessions
Track use of --remote-debugging-port and other DevTools command-line flags on managed endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-4052

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to 136.0.7103.59 or later on all desktop platforms
Force a browser relaunch after the update to ensure the patched binary is loaded
Audit Chromium-based browsers and embedded WebView components for equivalent DevTools fixes

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2025-4052 in Chrome 136.0.7103.59 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, distributed through the Stable channel on April 29, 2025. Details are documented in the Stable Channel Update for Desktop. Administrators using Chrome Browser Cloud Management or group policy should validate that auto-update is enabled and that the deployed version meets or exceeds the patched build.

Workarounds

Restrict DevTools availability on managed endpoints through the DeveloperToolsAvailability enterprise policy
Train users to avoid opening DevTools on untrusted pages or following UI prompts from unknown sites
Apply browser isolation or sandboxing for high-risk user populations until patching is confirmed

bash

# Configuration example: disable DevTools on managed Chrome via policy (Linux example)
sudo tee /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/disable-devtools.json > /dev/null <<'EOF'
{
  "DeveloperToolsAvailability": 2
}
EOF