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Google Releases Chrome 137 Update with Fixes for High-Risk Security Flaws
Google has officially launched Chrome version 137.0.7151.55/56 across all major desktop platforms — Windows, macOS, and Linux — in a critical move to safeguard users from serious cybersecurity threats. This update, gradually rolling out since May 28, 2025, tackles 11 distinct vulnerabilities, two of which are classified as high severity. These two flaws could allow attackers to remotely execute malicious code on users’ devices.
What makes this update especially urgent is the nature of the issues it fixes. Core components like the V8 JavaScript engine and Chrome’s rendering systems were found vulnerable due to memory corruption bugs. Google responded swiftly, crediting seven external security researchers and disbursing \$7,500 in bug bounty rewards. However, full technical details of these issues remain under wraps until a majority of users have upgraded — a precaution to prevent exploitation.
Among the standout threats is CVE-2025-5063, a use-after-free flaw in Chrome’s compositing system. Hackers could exploit this through carefully crafted HTML pages, taking control over rendering behavior and executing arbitrary code. This vulnerability arises from improper memory handling when processing layered page elements.
Equally alarming is CVE-2025-5280, an out-of-bounds write issue in the V8 engine. It allows attackers to corrupt memory during array operations, bypassing sandbox protections. The Chrome team responded by enhancing garbage collection and implementing stricter bounds-checking.
These flaws are especially dangerous due to their low complexity and the fact they require no user interaction — making them prime targets for cybercriminals. Enterprises and system administrators are strongly urged to prioritize updates to Chrome 137, especially since similar flaws were actively exploited in 2024.
On top of these high-severity vulnerabilities, Google also fixed five medium-severity bugs affecting APIs like Background Fetch and FileSystemAccess. Notably, some of these bugs could leak authentication tokens or expose local files due to improper permission handling or race conditions.
Internally, Google discovered and patched four additional vulnerabilities using automated tools like fuzzing, AddressSanitizer, and Control Flow Integrity. One low-severity flaw, CVE-2025-5067, involved UI spoofing via malformed favicon URLs.
With the growing threat landscape and Chrome’s increasing focus on memory safety, Google is taking further steps by planning the integration of Rust components into its browser architecture, beginning with the QUIC protocol stack later in 2025.
What Undercode Say:
Google’s Chrome 137 release is not just another security patch — it’s a powerful statement about the company’s direction toward hardened browser architecture. By resolving two major vulnerabilities — CVE-2025-5063 and CVE-2025-5280 — this update reinforces the urgent need for modern browsers to manage memory safely and handle increasing complexity with minimal exposure.
The use-after-free vulnerability in the compositing system is a textbook example of legacy memory pitfalls in C/C++-based software. Despite sandboxing and privilege separation, these flaws can be devastating when exploited in the wild. The attacker only needs a manipulated webpage to gain code execution capabilities, leaving unpatched users completely exposed.
The V8 out-of-bounds write flaw is perhaps even more serious. It opens the door to sandbox escape, where JavaScript — typically sandboxed and contained — can break free and interact directly with the operating system. This is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where employees regularly interact with potentially unsafe web content.
Google’s proactive efforts to withhold disclosure until updates propagate is smart risk management. However, this also indicates that the flaws might have a broader footprint across Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and Brave, which historically follow closely behind Chrome’s security updates. IT administrators in large-scale environments should not assume safety until these related browsers are updated.
Medium-severity vulnerabilities might not make headlines, but they are equally telling. The Background Fetch API and FileSystemAccess bugs reveal how extensions and modern APIs can be manipulated in subtle ways. Unauthorized cross-origin access and local file leakage are significant privacy risks that affect both individuals and corporate networks.
Chrome’s strategy of defense-in-depth continues to shine. Automated scanning tools such as AddressSanitizer and Control Flow Integrity caught issues even before external researchers reported them. This internal vigilance blocked over 70% of memory-related exploits in pre-release — a metric that validates the importance of ongoing fuzzing and static analysis.
The upcoming integration of Rust into
For organizations, the takeaway is clear:
Patch Chrome 137 immediately across all endpoints.
Audit all browser extensions — especially those using APIs impacted by this update.
Watch for exploits targeting CVE-2025-5283, which may soon emerge via malicious WebM video content.
The race between attackers exploiting browser bugs and defenders patching them is far from over. Chrome 137 is a step in the right direction — but the pace must continue.
Fact Checker Results:
✅ Google released Chrome 137.0.7151.55/56 on May 28, 2025.
✅ Two high-severity flaws (CVE-2025-5063 and CVE-2025-5280) were patched.
✅ No active exploits confirmed at launch, but exploitation risks remain high. 🔍
Prediction:
With 63% of Chrome’s vulnerabilities in 2025 stemming from C/C++ memory management issues, the browser’s move toward Rust integration will likely accelerate by late 2025 and 2026. Expect future Chrome versions to shift more subsystems — such as networking, DOM rendering, and file access — into memory-safe languages. As a result, patch frequency may decrease slightly, while zero-day attack success rates could drop. Meanwhile, other Chromium-based browsers will likely follow suit, making Rust the new standard in secure browser development.
References:
Reported By: cyberpress.org
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