CVE-2025-2476 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2025
Use after free in Lens in Google Chrome prior to 134.0.6998.117 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Critical)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-2476 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Lens component of Google Chrome, affecting versions prior to 134.0.6998.117. This flaw resides in the browser's memory management system where a freed memory region is accessed after it has been deallocated, creating a potential pathway for remote code execution. The issue manifests when processing crafted HTML content that triggers improper memory handling within the Lens functionality, which is typically used for image processing and enhancement features within the browser environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of memory references within the Lens component's object lifecycle management. When a malicious HTML page is rendered, it can trigger a sequence where objects are freed from memory but references to these objects persist in the application's memory space. This creates a scenario where subsequent operations attempt to access memory that has already been deallocated, leading to heap corruption that can be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability is classified as a use-after-free condition under CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of memory after it has been freed, making it a prime target for exploitation techniques that leverage heap spraying and memory corruption attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to Chrome users as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. The critical severity rating indicates that exploitation is likely to be successful and can result in complete system compromise, potentially leading to data theft, privilege escalation, or persistent backdoor installation. Attackers can craft HTML pages that leverage this vulnerability to gain control over the victim's browser and subsequently the underlying operating system, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments and individual users alike.
The exploitation of CVE-2025-2476 aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access through malicious websites and privilege escalation via memory corruption techniques. This vulnerability can be leveraged as part of multi-stage attack chains where the initial compromise occurs through web-based delivery methods, followed by further exploitation to establish persistent access. Security professionals should note that this flaw demonstrates the critical importance of timely patch management and the potential for zero-day exploitation in widely used browser components. The vulnerability's classification as critical severity under Chromium's security framework underscores the need for immediate remediation and highlights the ongoing challenges in maintaining memory safety in complex browser architectures.
Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of Chrome version 134.0.6998.117 or later to mitigate this vulnerability, while implementing additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls and browser hardening configurations. The use of security automation tools to monitor for exploitation attempts and the implementation of network-based controls to block malicious web content can provide additional layers of protection. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for this specific flaw, as well as other memory corruption vulnerabilities that may exist in similar browser components. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for continuous security monitoring and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all browser environments.