Actively Exploited Chrome Zero-Day Vulnerability (CVE-2025-5419)
June 3rd, 2025
Severity Level: High
Technical Details
Vulnerability ID: CVE-2025-5419
Component Affected: V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine
Vulnerability Type: Out-of-bounds read/write (memory corruption)
Exploitability: Remote code execution through malicious web content
Discovery Date: May 27, 2025
Reported By: Clement Lecigne and Benoît Sevens (Google Threat Analysis Group)
The flaw originates from improper memory boundary checks in the V8 engine, leading to out-of-bounds read and write operations. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by enticing a victim to a crafted web page, allowing them to take control of the victim's browser and potentially the underlying system.
Additionally, the update addresses CVE-2025-5068, a medium-severity use-after-free vulnerability in the Blink rendering engine. While this secondary issue is not actively exploited, it could still lead to memory corruption and potential code execution.
Google has released an emergency security update for its Chrome browser in response to the active exploitation of a critical zero-day vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-5419. The flaw, discovered in Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems through out-of-bounds memory access. This vulnerability is currently being exploited in the wild, prompting Google to issue urgent updates for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.
Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-5419 can allow remote attackers to:
Execute arbitrary code on the victim’s machine.
Gain the same privileges as the browser process.
Potentially compromise the entire system if chained with other vulnerabilities.
Given the status of active exploitation, this poses a significant risk to both individual users and enterprise environments, particularly those with delayed patch cycles.
Detection Method
To determine if a system is affected:
Check Chrome Version: Navigate to Settings > About Chrome.
Affected Versions: Any version prior to 137.0.7151.68 (Linux) or 137.0.7151.68/.69 (Windows and macOS) is vulnerable.
Mitigation Status: Systems running version 137.0.7151.68/.69 or later are patched against both CVE-2025-5419 and CVE-2025-5068.
Security monitoring systems should look for the following:
Unusual network activity related to browser processes.
Execution of unknown scripts from compromised or untrusted websites.
Memory access anomalies that indicate out-of-bounds behavior.
Indicators of Compromise
There are no Indicators of Compromise (IOC) for this advisory.
Recommendations
Immediate Update: All users should update Chrome to version 137.0.7151.68/.69 or later.
Enterprise Patch Deployment: Organizations should expedite deployment across all endpoints using centralized update policies.
Restrict Web Access: Temporarily restrict access to unknown or suspicious websites until updates are applied.
Monitor Systems: Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious Chrome behavior.
Awareness Training: Educate users on the dangers of clicking unknown or unsolicited links in emails and websites.
Conclusion
The discovery and rapid exploitation of CVE-2025-5419 highlight the critical importance of timely browser updates. Google’s immediate response, which includes emergency mitigation and a global patch rollout, indicates the severity of this memory corruption vulnerability. All Chrome users must urgently verify their browser version and apply the latest updates to ensure protection against this active threat. Organizations should treat this advisory as a high priority and enforce swift remediation across all systems.