Chrome Browser Hit By Sophisticated Zero-Day Spyware Campaign

What Happened in the Chrome Zero-Day Campaign

Google Chrome has once again been hit by a serious zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-2783) actively exploited by advanced threat actors.
The campaign, known as Operation ForumTroll, targeted organizations across Russia and Belarus — including media outlets, financial institutions, universities, and government agencies.

Victims received phishing emails containing fake invitations to events like “Primakov Readings.” Once recipients clicked the malicious link, the exploit executed instantly inside the Chrome browser — no downloads or user interaction required.

This vulnerability allowed attackers to escape Chrome’s sandbox, install spyware, and gain deep access to infected systems.

How the Chrome Exploit Worked

The exploit targeted Chrome’s Mojo IPC system, manipulating how the browser handled special Windows API “pseudo-handles.”
By tricking Chrome into duplicating privileged handles, attackers achieved arbitrary code execution beyond the browser’s security sandbox.

Once the sandbox was bypassed, the attackers dropped a loader and spyware payload (LeetAgent) via COM hijacking.

Spyware Capabilities Included:

• Recording keystrokes and taking screenshots

• Stealing passwords, cookies, and tokens

• Executing remote commands

• Exfiltrating sensitive documents and browser data

The spyware communicated with command-and-control servers (C2) through encrypted HTTPS channels, ensuring stealth and persistence.

Who Was Behind the Attack

Security researchers traced the infrastructure and toolset back to Memento Labs, formerly known as the notorious Hacking Team — a company infamous for developing and selling surveillance tools to governments and intelligence agencies.

The reuse of their spyware framework and infrastructure suggests a commercial or state-sponsored espionage motive rather than a random criminal campaign.

This discovery raises renewed concerns about the commercial spyware industry, where legitimate surveillance tools often end up in unauthorized hands.

Why This Attack Matters

This campaign highlights how browser vulnerabilities can be just as dangerous as operating system flaws.

• Identity Theft Risk: Since the spyware could record credentials, attackers could infiltrate identity systems (SSO portals, IAM dashboards, cloud consoles).

• Persistence: COM hijacking means even removing the spyware may not fully clean the host.

• Silent Exploitation: A simple web click could compromise an entire endpoint — no downloads, no macros, just browser exploitation.

• Targeted Espionage: The attack was surgical, designed for espionage and credential harvesting rather than broad ransomware distribution.

For identity access engineers, SOC analysts, and IAM teams, this demonstrates the growing overlap between endpoint compromise and identity compromise.

How to Protect Your Browser and Identity

Immediate Actions:

1. Update Chrome immediately — Google has released a patched version fixing CVE-2025-2783.

2. Restart your browser and devices to apply the patch.

3. Deploy enterprise browser updates via group policy or MDM solutions to ensure full coverage.

Security Hardening:

• Enable browser isolation or read-only mode for privileged sessions.

• Use EDR/XDR solutions to detect sandbox escape and COM hijack behaviors.

• Monitor unusual network traffic to C2 servers or hidden HTTPS endpoints.

• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all identities and applications.

• Conduct phishing simulations and security awareness training.

The Bigger Picture: Browser Exploits & Identity Security

Browser zero-days are no longer limited to espionage—they are identity attack vectors. Once an endpoint is compromised, IAM credentials and tokens are next.
This is why patch management, browser security, and identity protection must be treated as one continuous defense layer.

If you manage IAM or cloud infrastructure, ensure browser exploitation is part of your threat modeling and incident response plans.

Conclusion

The Chrome zero-day spyware campaign of 2025 is a wake-up call.
Attackers used a simple phishing link to break through one of the world’s most secure browsers — proving that no layer of security can stand alone.
Keep your browsers patched, your staff trained, and your identity systems monitored. In today’s threat landscape, vulnerability awareness is your first line of defense.