CVE-2025-5063: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-5063 Overview

CVE-2025-5063 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Compositing component of Google Chrome. The flaw affects all Chrome versions prior to 137.0.7151.55 and is tracked under [CWE-416]. A remote attacker can trigger heap corruption by serving a crafted HTML page to a victim browser. Google's Chromium security team rated the issue High severity. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the renderer process, providing a foothold for further sandbox-escape chains.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can corrupt heap memory in the Chrome renderer through a malicious web page, enabling potential code execution with user interaction.

Affected Products

Google Chrome (Desktop) versions prior to 137.0.7151.55
Chromium-based browsers that incorporate the same Compositing code prior to the 137 branch
All supported desktop platforms shipping the Stable channel (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Discovery Timeline

2025-05-27 - Google publishes Stable Channel update addressing the vulnerability
2025-05-27 - CVE-2025-5063 published to NVD
2025-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-5063

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's Compositing subsystem, which is responsible for layering and rendering graphical content from web pages. A use-after-free condition occurs when the compositor accesses a memory object after it has been freed. This dangling reference allows an attacker who controls the heap layout to read or write memory that no longer belongs to the original object. The result is heap corruption inside the renderer process, which in Chrome runs sandboxed but with access to sensitive web data.

The Compositing pipeline handles untrusted content from any page the user visits. As a result, the attack surface is reachable from a single HTML document loaded in a tab.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper lifetime management of a compositor object [CWE-416]. When a reference to that object outlives its allocation, subsequent calls dereference freed memory. Attackers groom the heap to place attacker-controlled data into the reclaimed slot, converting the dangling access into a controlled read or write primitive.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires the victim to load a crafted HTML page in a vulnerable Chrome build. The page uses JavaScript and Document Object Model (DOM) operations to drive the Compositing path into the unsafe state. No authentication is required, and the attack travels over the network. User interaction is limited to visiting the page. Public proof-of-concept code is not currently available, and the issue is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Technical reproduction details are restricted in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and were disclosed alongside the Google Chrome Update Note.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5063

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer process crashes referencing the Compositing or cc:: namespace in crash dumps
Unexpected child process spawns from chrome.exe after visiting unfamiliar web content
Outbound connections to attacker-controlled domains immediately preceding renderer crashes

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across endpoints and flag any build below 137.0.7151.55
Monitor for repeated renderer crashes correlated with specific URLs in browsing telemetry
Inspect proxy and DNS logs for users navigating to newly registered or low-reputation domains hosting heavy JavaScript payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward Chrome crash and update telemetry to a centralized logging platform for version-drift analysis
Alert on process-tree anomalies where chrome.exe renderer processes launch shell, scripting, or LOLBin executables
Track endpoint software inventory continuously to detect browsers that fall behind the current Stable channel

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5063

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 137.0.7151.55 or later on every managed endpoint
Restart all Chrome instances after the update to ensure the patched binaries are loaded
Push the update to Chromium-based browsers that share the affected Compositing code once vendor patches are available

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the Stable Channel update on May 27, 2025. Administrators should deploy Chrome 137.0.7151.55 or later through enterprise update channels such as Google Update, Microsoft Intune, Jamf, or equivalent management tooling. Refer to the Google Chrome Update Note for release details.

Workarounds

Enforce the Chrome site isolation policy to limit cross-origin renderer reuse
Restrict browsing to known-good sites via web proxy categories until patching completes
Disable JavaScript on untrusted origins through enterprise policy where feasible

bash

# Verify Chrome version on Linux/macOS endpoints
google-chrome --version

# Windows registry path for enterprise Chrome version policy enforcement
reg query "HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\Update" /v TargetVersionPrefix