CVE-2025-1290
📋 TL;DR
A race condition use-after-free vulnerability in ChromeOS Kernel 5.4's virtio_transport_space_update function allows concurrent allocation and freeing of virtio_vsock_sock structures during AF_VSOCK connect syscalls. This creates dangling pointers that could lead to kernel code execution. Only ChromeOS devices running the affected kernel version are impacted.
💻 Affected Systems
- ChromeOS
📦 What is this software?
Chrome Os by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full kernel compromise leading to arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges, potential root access, and complete system takeover.
Likely Case
Kernel panic causing system crash and denial of service, with potential for limited code execution if exploitation succeeds.
If Mitigated
System crash requiring reboot if exploit fails or is detected by security controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Race condition exploitation requires precise timing and local access, making reliable exploitation challenging.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ChromeOS updates containing kernel fixes for CVE-2025-1290
Vendor Advisory: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/301886931
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for ChromeOS updates in Settings > About ChromeOS > Check for updates. 2. Apply available updates. 3. Restart the device when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable AF_VSOCK module
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable AF_VSOCK kernel module
echo 'blacklist vsock' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-vsock.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u
sudo reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access and application installation privileges
- Implement strict application sandboxing and containerization
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version with 'uname -r' and verify if it's 5.4.x without the fix. Check if vsock module is loaded with 'lsmod | grep vsock'.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify ChromeOS version is updated beyond the vulnerable release and kernel version shows patched state.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- OOM killer activity related to vsock
- Unexpected system reboots
Network Indicators:
- Unusual AF_VSOCK socket activity from untrusted processes
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "vsock")