Description

Google has released an out-of-band security update for Chrome to patch a critical zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2025-6554, which is being actively exploited by threat actors. It is a high-severity bug in Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine and stems from a type confusion vulnerability, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code. If left unfixed, it could allow attackers to tamper with memory allocation, access system resources inappropriately, and even infect entire systems. The stable channel update brings Chrome up to version 138.0.7204.96/.97 on Windows, 138.0.7204.92/.93 on macOS, and 138.0.7204.96 on Linux. While this rollout is being conducted in waves, the recommendation is for users to update their browser version all at once by navigating to Settings > About Chrome. This will trigger the upgrade process automatically, and a reboot will be required to complete the installation. Google also made a temporary mitigation on June 26, 2025, but reinforces that the full update only gives full protection. This vulnerability was found by Clément Lecigne from Google's Threat Analysis Group on June 25, 2025. The vulnerability is already weaponized in the wild. Exploits were reported to be used through malicious websites or compromised applications, endangering millions of users. Having demonstrated exploitation and impact, there is a necessity for timely response. Companies, particularly, need to apply this patch first to safeguard their infrastructure. Google's quick patch emphasizes the importance of good internal security monitoring and the use of cutting-edge detection technologies like AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, and libFuzzer. These tools detect similar flaws in advance before they can impact users, but early patches remain an early line of defense.