CVE-2025-4052 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/05/2025
Inappropriate implementation in DevTools in Google Chrome prior to 136.0.7103.59 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific UI gestures to bypass discretionary access control via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-4052 represents a security flaw within the DevTools functionality of Google Chrome browsers prior to version 136.0.7103.59. This issue falls under the category of improper access control implementation, specifically affecting the discretionary access control mechanisms that protect user resources and system integrity. The vulnerability stems from how Chrome's DevTools component handles certain user interactions and UI gestures, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to bypass established security boundaries.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that exploits specific user interface interactions within the DevTools environment. This vulnerability requires user engagement through particular UI gestures, making it a user-interaction dependent exploit rather than an automated attack vector. The Chromium security severity classification of Low indicates the potential impact is moderate, but the nature of the bypass suggests it could enable unauthorized access to sensitive development tools and potentially expose underlying system resources. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a deviation from proper privilege separation within browser components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control bypass as it could potentially allow attackers to leverage DevTools capabilities for more sophisticated attacks. Since DevTools are designed for debugging and development purposes, they often have elevated privileges and access to sensitive browser operations. When bypassed through this vulnerability, attackers could potentially access debugging interfaces, manipulate execution environments, or extract sensitive information from the browser's internal state. This scenario creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks and could enable further exploitation within the browser sandbox.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-4052 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to version 136.0.7103.59 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the DevTools access control implementation flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly. Additionally, security awareness training for users can help prevent exploitation through social engineering tactics that rely on convincing users to perform specific UI gestures. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious HTML page delivery patterns, and browser hardening measures such as disabling DevTools for regular browsing sessions can provide additional defense layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining strict access controls even within development and debugging interfaces, as these components often represent attack surfaces that require careful security consideration. This issue also highlights the need for continuous security assessment of browser components, particularly those with elevated privileges, to prevent potential bypasses of access control mechanisms that could lead to broader system compromise.