CVE-2025-0445 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 02/04/2025
Use after free in V8 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
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the V8 JavaScript engine component of Google Chrome, affecting versions prior to 133.0.6943.53. The flaw occurs within the memory management subsystem where freed memory blocks are accessed after being deallocated, creating a potential pathway for remote code execution. The vulnerability is classified as high severity by Chromium security standards, indicating significant risk to user systems. The issue manifests when processing specially crafted HTML pages that trigger improper memory handling within the V8 engine's garbage collection and object management mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of JavaScript object references and memory deallocation sequences within V8's engine runtime. When a malicious HTML page contains specific JavaScript constructs or DOM manipulations, the engine may free memory associated with an object while still maintaining references to it elsewhere in the execution context. This creates a scenario where subsequent operations attempt to access memory that has already been returned to the heap, leading to heap corruption. The memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite critical data structures or function pointers, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in memory management, where program code accesses memory after it has been freed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass a wide range of potential attack vectors and exploitation techniques. An attacker can craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in a victim's browser, trigger the use-after-free condition and subsequently execute malicious payloads. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that web browsers are frequently targeted due to their broad user base and the trust users place in web content. The vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting the malicious page, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The heap corruption can be used to bypass security mitigations such as ASLR and DEP, as the attacker can manipulate memory layout to achieve desired execution outcomes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and browser patching. Users and organizations should prioritize updating to Chrome version 133.0.6943.53 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the V8 memory management issue. Security administrators should implement proactive monitoring for exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to detect potential attacks targeting this vulnerability. Browser security configurations should include additional mitigations such as enabling sandboxing features, restricting JavaScript execution in sensitive contexts, and implementing content security policies to limit potential attack surfaces. The fix in the patched version typically involves strengthening memory management checks within V8's garbage collection routines and ensuring proper reference counting mechanisms are maintained to prevent premature deallocation of objects that are still in use. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to detect and block exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.