In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the newly discovered CVE-2025-4664 vulnerability in Google Chrome’s Loader component. This high-severity security flaw is affecting not only Chrome but also other Chromium-based browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi. The issue lies in insufficient policy enforcement within the browser’s Loader, enabling attackers to manipulate the referrer-policy and leak sensitive cross-origin data, potentially leading to full account takeovers.
We discuss the technical details of the exploit, focusing on how attackers leverage the Link header to set the referrer-policy to unsafe-url, thus capturing full URLs with sensitive query parameters, such as OAuth tokens and session identifiers. These parameters, once intercepted, can give attackers unauthorized access to user accounts. The podcast also addresses the confirmed existence of active exploits “in the wild” and why immediate patching is crucial, particularly after Google’s emergency update for Chrome.
With CVE-2025-4664 now included in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, the urgency of addressing this issue becomes even more pressing. We will also cover recommended mitigation strategies, including the need for secure HTTP headers, real-time traffic monitoring, and third-party resource audits to prevent exploitation attempts.
Join us as we break down this critical vulnerability and provide actionable advice on how to stay secure in light of CVE-2025-4664.
