CVE-2025-0444 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 02/04/2025
Use after free in Skia in Google Chrome prior to 133.0.6943.53 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-0444 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Skia graphics rendering engine that forms a core component of Google Chrome's rendering pipeline. This flaw exists in versions prior to 133.0.6943.53 and constitutes a high-severity issue according to Chromium's security classification. The Skia library serves as the 2D graphics rendering system that Chrome employs to display web content, making it a prime target for exploitation due to its extensive use in rendering web pages and handling multimedia content.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Skia component where a freed memory block is subsequently accessed by the application. This occurs when the Skia engine handles certain HTML elements that trigger specific rendering paths, leading to a scenario where memory allocated for graphical objects is released but the application continues to reference that memory location. The flaw manifests when processing crafted HTML content that forces the graphics engine into a state where it attempts to access memory that has already been deallocated, creating a condition that can be exploited by remote attackers.
Remote exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to achieve heap corruption, which provides a pathway for arbitrary code execution within the Chrome browser environment. The attack vector requires a malicious website that presents specially crafted HTML content designed to trigger the specific code path containing the use-after-free vulnerability. When a user visits such a page, the browser's rendering engine processes the malicious content and inadvertently accesses freed memory, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite critical memory structures or inject malicious code into the browser's memory space.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser compromise, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack techniques. The vulnerability affects all versions of Chrome prior to the patched release, making it particularly dangerous given Chrome's widespread adoption across enterprise and consumer environments. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process, potentially leading to data theft, persistent backdoor installation, or further escalation attacks against the underlying operating system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of Chrome installations to version 133.0.6943.53 or later, as this release contains the necessary memory management fixes to prevent the use-after-free condition. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems that can detect and block known malicious HTML patterns. Additionally, browser hardening measures including sandboxing, privilege separation, and strict memory access controls should be maintained to limit the potential impact even if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a technique commonly mapped to attack phases in the MITRE ATT&CK framework where adversaries establish persistent access through browser-based exploitation techniques.