CVE-2025-13633 is a use-after-free vulnerability identified in the Digital Credentials component of Google Chrome versions prior to 143.0.7499.41. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use memory after it has been freed, potentially leading to heap corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution. In this case, the flaw exists within the renderer process, which is responsible for rendering web content. An attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious HTML page that triggers heap corruption. This can lead to further exploitation such as executing arbitrary code within the context of the browser, potentially allowing the attacker to bypass security boundaries and compromise user data or system integrity. The vulnerability is rated as high severity by Chromium security but does not yet have a CVSS score. No public exploits have been reported so far, indicating it may not yet be actively exploited in the wild. The vulnerability was reserved on November 24, 2025, and published on December 2, 2025, with Google releasing version 143.0.7499.41 to address the issue. The attack vector requires that the attacker has already compromised the renderer process, which typically involves prior exploitation or social engineering to lure users to malicious content. This vulnerability highlights the importance of timely patching and maintaining strict process isolation within browsers to prevent escalation from renderer compromise to full browser compromise.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of Google Chrome in enterprise, governmental, and public sectors. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution within the browser context, enabling attackers to steal sensitive information, manipulate web sessions, or deploy further malware. The use-after-free flaw can compromise confidentiality and integrity of data accessed through the browser and potentially impact availability if exploited to cause crashes or denial of service. Organizations with employees frequently accessing untrusted web content or using web applications with sensitive data are particularly vulnerable. The risk is heightened in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, where browser security is critical. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against high-value European targets, especially if combined with other exploits to gain initial renderer process access. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation.

1. Immediately update all Google Chrome installations to version 143.0.7499.41 or later to apply the security patch addressing this vulnerability. 2. Enforce strict renderer process sandboxing and isolation policies to limit the impact of any renderer compromise. 3. Employ enterprise browser management tools to monitor and control browser extensions and plugins, reducing the attack surface. 4. Educate users on the risks of visiting untrusted websites and clicking on suspicious links to minimize initial compromise vectors. 5. Implement network-level protections such as web filtering and intrusion detection systems to block access to known malicious sites. 6. Regularly audit and update endpoint security solutions to detect anomalous browser behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Consider deploying browser security enhancements like site isolation and strict content security policies to mitigate exploitation risks. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes browser compromise scenarios to enable rapid containment and remediation.