Have you ever clicked a link in Chrome on your Android phone and had another app open unexpectedly? That’s the magic—and sometimes the danger—of Android Intents. Recently, a vulnerability tagged CVE-2025-3068 was discovered in Google Chrome for Android, before version 135..7049.52. This bug could allow remote attackers to escalate privileges simply through a crafty HTML page. Let’s break down how it works, why it’s dangerous, and what real-world attacks might look like.

What’s the CVE-2025-3068 Bug About?

In Android, Intents are messages letting different apps talk to each other. Chrome relies heavily on intents for features like sharing links, opening files, and handling deep links. However, before version 135..7049.52, Chrome didn’t always check Intents as carefully as it should have.

A remote attacker (meaning anyone on the internet who can get you to visit their site) could use a specially crafted web page to abuse these Intents. Without going through enough permission checks or proper validation, Chrome risked sending out an Intent that gave more privileges than it should have. That could end up letting a malicious app or attacker do things they normally couldn’t.

Severity: Medium (per Chromium’s Issue Tracker & CVE Page)

What Went Wrong?

Chrome’s code would, under certain web page constructions, create Intents that sent plain data—including privileged information—to other apps, without proper checks. In technical language: “Inappropriate implementation in Intents in Google Chrome on Android prior to 135..7049.52 allowed a remote attacker to perform privilege escalation via a crafted HTML page.”

Victim opens a malicious web page in Chrome for Android.

2. The page triggers a crafted link or script—for example, using a special intent:// URL.
3. Chrome, due to insufficient checks, sends a dangerous Intent with more authority than planned, letting a malicious app receive it.

Sample Malicious HTML

Below is a simplified proof-of-concept (PoC). This HTML uses a crafted intent URL to start another app:

<!-- attacker-controlled web page -->
<a href="intent://scan/#Intent;scheme=zxing;package=com.example.maliciousapp;end">
  Click here for a cool feature!
</a>

When the user taps this, Chrome’s intent handling could, before the fix, pass control to any app (even a malicious one) without sufficient restriction. The attacker’s app could then take actions using the permissions of Chrome.

Sample Exploit Scenario

Let’s say there’s a fake barcode scanner app (com.example.maliciousapp) installed on your device. You visit a malicious web page that uses the kind of link above. Chrome, before patch 135..7049.52, may send your data to that app, letting it bypass normal Android permissions or read information it shouldn’t see.

In Python, simulating attack logic

import webbrowser

# On Android, this would trigger intent logic in Chrome
url = "intent://scan/#Intent;scheme=zxing;package=com.example.maliciousapp;end"
webbrowser.open(url)

Of course, this is a desktop simulation—the *real* danger comes from mobile code crafted into web pages.

No User Interaction Needed: All the attacker needs is for a victim to visit a website.

- Bypasses App Boundaries: Malicious apps can use Chrome’s privilege to act beyond their own boundaries.

How Was It Fixed?

Google patched this bug by tightening how Chrome validates and processes Intents. Now, Chrome checks securely if an intent is safe to launch, and restricts what data is sent and how.

If you’re running Chrome on Android, make sure you’re using at least v135..7049.52!

References and More Info

- NVD Entry for CVE-2025-3068
- Chromium Issue Report (crbug.com/331680085)
- Google Chrome Release Blog

TL;DR: Update Chrome and Watch Your Apps

CVE-2025-3068 happened because Chrome for Android trusted certain web-to-app Intents too much. Attackers could use this to gain power through Chrome by tricking you into visiting a website. The fix is out—update your Chrome to stay safe!

If you’re interested in Android security, Intents are an evergreen source of tricky bugs, and CVE-2025-3068 is a textbook case: small oversight, big impact. Stay updated, and if an app asks for too many privileges, think twice!

Timeline

Published on: 04/02/2025 01:15:38 UTC
Last modified on: 04/07/2025 13:30:02 UTC