CVE-2025-9478 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2025
Use after free in ANGLE in Google Chrome prior to 139.0.7258.154 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 • 09/14/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2025-9478 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the ANGLE graphics library component of Google Chrome browsers. This flaw exists in versions prior to 139.0.7258.154 and constitutes a severe security risk that could be exploited by remote attackers. The ANGLE library serves as a crucial component that translates OpenGL ES commands into DirectX or other graphics APIs, enabling web content to render graphics efficiently across different platforms. When a use-after-free vulnerability occurs in such a core graphics library, it creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate memory structures and potentially execute arbitrary code.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within ANGLE's handling of graphics resources. Specifically, the flaw occurs when memory allocated for graphics objects is freed while references to that memory still exist in the application's execution flow. This creates a scenario where subsequent operations attempt to access memory that has been deallocated, leading to heap corruption. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it occurs in the graphics rendering pipeline, which means that malicious HTML content can trigger this condition through normal web browsing operations. Attackers can craft specific HTML pages containing malicious graphics commands that cause the browser to free memory structures while they are still being referenced, creating opportunities for memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation scenarios as it affects the fundamental security model of web browsers. Since the flaw exists in Chrome's graphics subsystem, it can be triggered through standard web content loading without requiring any special user interaction or privilege escalation. The critical severity rating indicates that attackers can potentially achieve complete system compromise through this vector, as heap corruption often provides a pathway to arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability affects all users of affected Chrome versions and poses a significant risk to enterprise environments where web browsing is a common activity. The exploitation potential is heightened because graphics rendering is a common operation in modern web applications, making this attack surface highly accessible.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-9478 primarily focus on immediate software updates and browser version management. Organizations should prioritize updating to Chrome version 139.0.7258.154 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the use-after-free condition. Additionally, implementing network-level security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide additional protection layers. Security teams should also consider deploying browser hardening configurations that restrict access to potentially malicious web content and monitor for unusual graphics rendering behaviors. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free errors in software development, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as exploitation may involve executing malicious code through compromised browser processes. Organizations should also implement regular vulnerability scanning procedures to identify and remediate similar issues in their browser environments.