CVE-2025-1915
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass file access restrictions in Google Chrome on Windows by tricking users into installing a malicious extension. It enables unauthorized file system access through a path traversal flaw in DevTools. Only Windows users running vulnerable Chrome versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Google Chrome
- Chromium-based browsers
📦 What is this software?
Chrome by Google
Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, used by over 3 billion users globally across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms. As a Chromium-based browser developed by Google, Chrome dominates the browser market with approximately 65% market share, making it a critical compon...
Learn more about Chrome →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker could access sensitive files outside Chrome's sandbox, potentially stealing credentials, personal data, or system files through a malicious extension.
Likely Case
Attackers could read local files they shouldn't have access to, but would need to convince users to install their malicious extension first.
If Mitigated
With proper extension vetting and user education about only installing trusted extensions, the risk is significantly reduced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user to install a malicious Chrome extension. The extension must be specifically crafted to exploit this vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 134.0.6998.35 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2025/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Open Chrome. 2. Click the three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome. 3. Chrome will automatically check for updates and install version 134.0.6998.35 or later. 4. Relaunch Chrome if prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Chrome Extensions
allTemporarily disable all Chrome extensions to prevent exploitation via malicious extensions.
chrome://extensions/ → Toggle off all extensions
Restrict Extension Installation
enterpriseConfigure Chrome policies to prevent users from installing extensions.
Set ExtensionInstallBlocklist policy to *
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized Chrome extensions from running
- Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted Chrome extensions and implement strict extension approval processes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version: If version is below 134.0.6998.35 on Windows, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
chrome://version/ or 'chrome --version' in command lineVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Chrome version is 134.0.6998.35 or higher and test that extensions cannot bypass file access restrictions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file access patterns from Chrome processes
- Installation of new Chrome extensions from untrusted sources
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of Chrome extension files (.crx) from suspicious domains
SIEM Query:
Process:chrome.exe AND (EventID:4656 OR EventID:4663) AND ObjectName contains sensitive file paths