Introduction
Heap corruption in a widely deployed browser component can open the door to remote code execution. CVE-2025-10500, a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's Dawn WebGPU implementation, underscores the risks posed by modern browser graphics subsystems. This brief summary focuses on technical details, affected versions, and patch information to help security professionals assess and mitigate exposure.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-10500 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Dawn component of Google Chrome's WebGPU implementation. The flaw is classified as CWE-416 and has a CVSS score of 8.8. Dawn acts as the abstraction layer between web applications and GPU hardware, translating WebGPU calls into platform-specific GPU API calls.
The vulnerability arises from improper memory management in Dawn, where object lifecycles are not correctly tracked. Specifically, after certain WebGPU operations, memory may be freed but still accessible through dangling pointers. An attacker can exploit this by crafting a malicious HTML page that triggers the vulnerable code path, causing the browser to access freed memory. This can result in heap corruption and, depending on the attacker's control over memory layout, potentially arbitrary code execution. The attack vector is remote and requires only that a user visit a malicious web page.
No public code snippets or detailed proof of concept have been released for this vulnerability. The issue was discovered by security researcher Giunash, who received a $15,000 reward for the responsible disclosure.
Patch Information
Google has addressed the use-after-free vulnerability in the Dawn graphics abstraction layer by releasing Chrome version 140.0.7339.185/.186 for Windows and Mac, and 140.0.7339.185 for Linux. This update rectifies the memory management flaw that could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. Users are strongly advised to update their browsers promptly to benefit from this security enhancement.
Reference: Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop
Affected Systems and Versions
- Google Chrome versions prior to 140.0.7339.185 on Linux
- Google Chrome versions prior to 140.0.7339.185/.186 on Windows and Mac
- Only systems running affected versions with WebGPU enabled are vulnerable
Vendor Security History
Google Chrome has a long history of rapid response to security vulnerabilities, supported by a mature bug bounty program. Similar use-after-free and memory safety issues have been identified in Chrome's graphics and rendering subsystems in the past. The vendor typically releases patches within days of disclosure, and Chrome's auto-update mechanism ensures most users are protected quickly. The Dawn WebGPU component is a newer addition to Chrome, and its complexity has led to several memory management issues being reported and fixed as the codebase matures.