On June 30, 2025, Google issued an emergency patch for a critical zero-day vulnerability in its Chrome browser, tracked as CVE-2025-6554. The flaw resides in V8, Chrome’s JavaScript and WebAssembly engine, and is classified as a type confusion vulnerability.
Exploitation of this bug allows remote attackers to achieve arbitrary read/write operations via a specially crafted HTML page, a common technique for executing arbitrary code in memory. Google confirmed that exploitation has been observed in the wild, heightening the urgency for organizations to update affected systems.
Key Details
- Vulnerability: CVE-2025-6554
- Component: V8 JavaScript Engine
- Exploit Technique: Type confusion, leading to arbitrary memory access
- Impact: Arbitrary code execution, potential sandbox escape
- Severity: High (awaiting CVSS score)
- Patch Released: June 30, 2025
A type confusion flaw allows a program to treat a piece of memory as the wrong type, resulting in unpredictable behavior. In V8, such vulnerabilities can enable attackers to bypass security boundaries, modify memory, and execute malicious code, often with the goal of full browser compromise or further privilege escalation.
Who’s Affected
Google Chrome users on:
Windows versions < 138.0.7204.96
macOS versions < 138.0.7204.92
Linux versions < 138.0.7204.96
Other Chromium-based browsers (Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera) may also be vulnerable and should apply patches as updates become available.
Exploitation in the Wild
The vulnerability was discovered by Clément Lecigne of Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), which tracks sophisticated threat actors, including nation-state groups. While Google has not attributed the activity to any known APT, the rapid disclosure and patch suggest targeted exploitation, possibly for espionage or surveillance.
Such exploits are often used in watering hole attacks, malvertising, or drive-by downloads, requiring little more than a user visiting a malicious website.
Mitigation and Recommendations
Google Chrome users should immediately update their browsers to the latest version.
To check your version:
Go to Settings > Help > About Google Chrome. This will auto-trigger an update.
Organizations should track Chrome versions across devices and enforce updates by sending alerts to non-compliant systems.
OP Innovate helps organizations stay ahead of emerging threats with proactive threat intelligence and expert-led incident response. Contact us to learn more.
