Google has patched a high-severity zero-day vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-6554 with a CVSS score of 8.1, in Chrome’s V8 engine that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTML page. Review the details of this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to stay informed and protect your systems against potential risks.
What is the threat?
This zero-day vulnerability is classified as a type confusion flaw in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine used by the Google Chrome browser. V8 is the core engine responsible for executing JavaScript and WebAssembly code in Chrome, enabling interactive features, dynamic content, and complex web applications to run efficiently in the browser. Type confusion vulnerabilities occur when a program mistakenly uses one type of object as another, leading to unintended behaviors in memory management, such as reading from or writing to incorrect memory locations. In this case, the flaw allows a remote attacker to craft a malicious HTML page that tricks Chrome into misinterpreting object types in the V8 engine, enabling arbitrary memory access. This can result in code execution outside the browser’s sandbox. The vulnerability affects Chrome versions 138.0.7204.96 and earlier, and reports indicate that attackers are currently exploiting this vulnerability against unsuspecting users.
Why is it noteworthy?
Since the vulnerability exists in the V8 engine, nearly every modern website you visit could become a potential entry point if you remain unpatched. Worse, attackers are already actively exploiting this zero-day vulnerability in the wild, likely in targeted campaigns involving spyware, data theft, or silent system compromise. You can become a victim simply by visiting a malicious website, which exposes your device to exploitation.
Following CVE-2025-2783, CVE-2025-4664, and CVE-2025-5419, CVE-2025-6554 is the fourth zero-day vulnerability discovered in Chrome in 2025, . This trend highlights a troubling rise in high-impact Chrome vulnerabilities. The discovery of this latest threat by Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which specializes in tracking nation-state attackers and major cyber threats, further underscores the seriousness of the situation.
What is the exposure or risk?
When attackers exploit this vulnerability, they use a specially designed webpage to target a flaw in Chrome’s V8 engine, causing it to confuse different data types. This confusion allows the attacker to manipulate the browser’s memory in unintended ways, gaining unauthorized access to read or modify data. As a result, the attacker can execute harmful code within the browser environment, circumventing built-in security measures. Ultimately, this vulnerability enables attackers to take control of the affected device, leading to data theft, the installation of malicious software, or further system infiltration. Additionally, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) users face significant risks, as organizations often exclude them from regular patch management processes and fail to provide adequate security tools.
What are the recommendations?
Barracuda recommends the following actions to protect against this vulnerability:
- Update your Chrome browser immediately to version 138.0.7204.97.
- Enable automatic updates so your browser stays current without manual intervention.
- Implement centralized patch management to monitor and enforce browser updates across all devices within your organization.
- Avoid visiting suspicious or untrusted websites, especially if your browser is not updated.
- Apply security updates to Chromium-based browsers (such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi) as soon as they become available.
- Utilize security tools such as web filtering and endpoint protection to block malicious content and detect exploit attempts.
References
For more in-depth information about the recommendations, please visit the following links:
- https://thehackernews.com/2025/07/google-patches-critical-zero-day-flaw.html
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-6554
If you have any questions about this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Barracuda Managed XDR’s Security Operations Center.
This post originally appeared on Smarter MSP.