Complete Chromebook Exploit Database

Click on any exploit to view detailed instructions

WARNING: These exploits are provided for educational purposes only. Using them may violate policies, void warranties, or damage your device. Proceed at your own risk.

Hardware Exploits

Write-Protect Screw Removal

Hardware Modification Medium
Physically removing the write-protect screw to disable firmware write protection, allowing custom firmware installation.

Instructions:

  1. Power off the Chromebook completely and disconnect all cables.
  2. Remove the bottom case using the appropriate screwdriver.
  3. Locate the write-protect screw on the motherboard. It's often labeled "WP" or located near the BIOS chip.
  4. Remove the screw carefully without damaging the surrounding components.
  5. Reassemble the Chromebook and power it on.
  6. Now you can flash custom firmware without write protection errors.

Note:

On some newer models, the write protection may be controlled by a switch or jumper instead of a screw.

Risks:

Voids warranty, potential for damaging motherboard if done incorrectly.

Permanent Most Models Hardware

Battery Disconnect Method

Hardware Bypass Easy
Disconnecting the battery during boot to clear temporary data and bypass forced re-enrollment.

Instructions:

  1. Power off the Chromebook and disconnect the power adapter.
  2. Remove the bottom case to access the internal components.
  3. Locate the battery connector on the motherboard.
  4. Disconnect the battery by gently unplugging the connector.
  5. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to discharge any residual power.
  6. Reconnect the battery and reassemble the Chromebook.
  7. Power on the device - it should bypass the enrollment process.

Note:

This method may not work on newer models with non-removable batteries or additional hardware checks.

Risks:

Potential for damaging battery connector, may not work on all models.

Temporary Older Models Hardware

Enrollment Chip Removal

Hardware Modification Hard
Physically removing the enrollment management chip to prevent forced re-enrollment.

Instructions:

  1. Power off the Chromebook and disconnect all cables.
  2. Remove the bottom case and locate the enrollment chip (usually the largest chip on the board).
  3. Heat the chip gently with a heat gun to soften the solder (be careful not to overheat surrounding components).
  4. Carefully pry up the chip using a spudger or plastic tool.
  5. Clean the solder pads with isopropyl alcohol if necessary.
  6. Reassemble the Chromebook and power it on.
  7. The device should no longer force enrollment after a powerwash.

Note:

This is a risky procedure that requires micro-soldering skills. Consider practicing on broken devices first.

Risks:

High risk of permanently damaging the motherboard, completely voids warranty.

Permanent Specific Models Hardware

Software Exploits

Recovery Mode Bypass

Software Exploit Easy
Using specific key combinations in recovery mode to bypass restrictions and access developer features.

Instructions:

  1. Enter recovery mode by holding Esc + Refresh + Power buttons.
  2. When the recovery screen appears, press Ctrl + D to open the hidden developer menu.
  3. Select "Boot from external device" if available.
  4. Alternatively, press Tab to show recovery information, then look for boot options.
  5. If the standard method doesn't work, try Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R to force a reset.
  6. Some models respond to pressing the power button multiple times during boot.

Note:

This doesn't work on all models, especially newer ones with updated firmware.

Risks:

May trigger admin alerts on managed devices.

Temporary Multiple Models Software

Developer Mode Timer Bypass

Software Exploit Medium
Bypassing the 30-second waiting period when booting in developer mode.

Instructions:

  1. Enable Developer Mode using the standard method (Esc + Refresh + Power, then Ctrl + D).
  2. When you see the "OS verification is OFF" screen, press Ctrl + D to boot.
  3. Instead of waiting 30 seconds, immediately press Ctrl + Alt + Fwd + Refresh.
  4. Alternatively, try pressing the power button briefly during the countdown.
  5. On some models, closing and reopening the lid skips the timer.
  6. For a permanent solution, modify the firmware to disable the timer completely.

Note:

Some methods may not work on all Chromebook models. Experiment with different key combinations.

Risks:

May cause boot issues if done incorrectly.

Permanent Selected Models Software

Crosh Command Bypass

OS Exploit Medium
Using hidden Crosh (Chrome OS Shell) commands to bypass restrictions and access system functions.

Instructions:

  1. Open Crosh by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
  2. Type shell to access the Linux shell environment.
  3. Try these useful commands:
    # Mount root filesystem as read-write
    sudo mount -o remount,rw /

    # Access Chrome user data directory
    cd /home/chronos/user

    # List system processes
    top

    # Check network connections
    netstat -tuln
  4. For advanced access, try sudo su to gain root privileges (may not work on all systems).
  5. Use cd /usr/local to explore local installations.

Note:

Many Crosh commands are restricted on managed devices. Commands may vary between Chrome OS versions.

Risks:

May trigger security alerts on monitored devices.

Temporary All Models Software

Powerwash Timing Attack

OS Exploit Medium
Interrupting the powerwash process at specific times to leave system vulnerable or bypass enrollment.

Instructions:

  1. Initiate a powerwash through Settings → Advanced → Reset Settings.
  2. As soon as the reset process begins, close the lid to put the Chromebook to sleep.
  3. Wait approximately 30 seconds, then open the lid and immediately press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R.
  4. Alternatively, disconnect the power during the reset process when the screen goes blank.
  5. If successful, the device may boot to a partially reset state without forced enrollment.
  6. Some models require pressing the refresh button repeatedly during boot after interruption.

Note:

This method is unreliable and may result in a corrupted OS requiring recovery.

Risks:

High risk of OS corruption, may require USB recovery.

Temporary Multiple Models Software

Firmware Exploits

Custom Firmware Installation

Firmware Exploit Hard
Flashing custom firmware like CoolStar or MrChromebox for full system control and alternative OS support.

Instructions:

  1. Enable Developer Mode and remove write-protection (if applicable).
  2. Open Crosh with Ctrl + Alt + T and type shell.
  3. Download the firmware utility:
    cd ~; curl -LO https://mrchromebox.tech/firmware-util.sh
    sudo install -Dt /usr/local/bin -m 755 firmware-util.sh
  4. Run the script: sudo firmware-util.sh
  5. Select your desired firmware option from the menu.
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
  7. Reboot and enjoy your custom firmware.

Note:

MrChromebox's firmware supports most Intel-based Chromebooks. ARM-based devices have limited options.

Risks:

Potential for bricking device if interrupted, voids warranty.

Permanent Intel Models Firmware

UEFI Firmware Exploit

Firmware Vulnerability Hard
Exploiting vulnerabilities in UEFI implementation to gain low-level access and bypass security measures.

Instructions:

  1. Identify your Chromebook model and specific UEFI firmware version.
  2. Research known vulnerabilities for your specific firmware.
  3. For older models, try the Buffer Overflow attack:
    # Craft a malicious bootloader
    # that exploits known buffer overflow
    # in UEFI input parsing
  4. For newer models, investigate Intel Boot Guard vulnerabilities.
  5. Use tools like CHIPSEC to analyze firmware security:
    python chipsec_main.py -m common.uefi.s3bootscript
  6. If a vulnerability is found, craft an exploit to gain elevated privileges.

Note:

This is an advanced technique requiring significant expertise in firmware security.

Risks:

High risk of bricking device, requires advanced technical knowledge.

Permanent Newer Models Firmware

OS/System Exploits

Linux Container Escape

OS Vulnerability Hard
Escaping the Linux container to gain access to the host Chrome OS system.

Instructions:

  1. Enable Linux development environment on your Chromebook.
  2. Open the Linux terminal and check your privileges:
    whoami
    groups
  3. Look for container breakout vulnerabilities:
    # Check for exposed Docker socket
    ls -la /var/run/docker.sock

    # Check for capabilities
    capsh --print

    # Check for syscalls
    strace ls
  4. Exploit privilege escalation vulnerabilities within the container.
  5. If you gain root in the container, look for host filesystem access.
  6. Mount the host filesystem:
    # Find host filesystem
    find / -name "chronos" -type d 2>/dev/null

    # Attempt to access host
    cd /mnt/stateful_partition

Note:

Google regularly patches container escape vulnerabilities, so this becomes more difficult over time.

Risks:

May violate security policies, could potentially damage the Chrome OS installation.

Temporary Linux-enabled Software

Extension Enforcement Bypass

OS Exploit Medium
Preventing forced extension installation or disabling already installed extensions on managed devices.

Instructions:

  1. Identify enforced extensions by checking chrome://policy.
  2. Try disabling extensions manually:
    # Navigate to chrome://extensions
    # Try to toggle off enforced extensions
  3. If unable to disable, try corrupting extension files:
    # Open Crosh (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type shell
    cd /home/chronos/user/Extensions
    # Find the extension ID and modify files
  4. Use developer mode overload:
    # Install many extensions until the system
    # has trouble enforcing specific ones
  5. For a more advanced approach, modify preference files:
    # Chrome preferences are stored in
    # /home/chronos/user/Preferences
    # Backup first, then edit carefully

Note:

These methods may be detected by management software and could violate usage policies.

Risks:

May trigger admin alerts, could be against acceptable use policies.

Temporary Managed Devices Software

Network Exploits

Network Filter Bypass

Network Exploit Easy
Bypassing network filters and restrictions using various DNS and proxy methods.

Instructions:

  1. Change DNS settings to use public DNS servers:
    Google DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
    Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1
    OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220
  2. Use VPN services (may require installation of Android or Linux apps).
  3. Try proxy servers through browser extensions or system settings.
  4. Use Google Translate as a proxy by entering URLs in the translate box.
  5. For advanced users, SSH tunneling:
    # Set up SSH server elsewhere
    ssh -D 8080 user@your-server.com
    # Configure browser to use SOCKS proxy localhost:8080
  6. Use URL manipulation techniques like using https:// instead of http:// or vice versa.

Note:

Network administrators may detect and block these methods, especially on enterprise networks.

Risks:

May violate acceptable use policies, could be detected by network monitoring.

Temporary All Models Network
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