CVE-2026-102319 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/29/2026
Uninitialized resource in GPU in Google Chrome prior to 154.0.8037.92 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to read memory outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as an uninitialized resource issue within the Graphics Processing Unit subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 154.0.8037.92 represents a critical failure in memory management and state initialization during hardware-accelerated rendering operations. This flaw specifically affects components responsible for handling GPU contexts, where certain data structures or buffers are allocated but not properly zeroed out or initialized before being used by the graphics pipeline. When an attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that triggers specific WebGL or Canvas API calls, they can exploit this uninitialized state to access memory regions that should remain inaccessible. The core technical flaw lies in the race condition or logic error where the GPU driver or Chrome's sandboxed renderer process reads from these uninitialised buffers before valid data has been written, leading to a read-out-of-bounds scenario.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows for arbitrary memory disclosure within the context of the compromised renderer process. While modern browsers employ strict sandboxes to isolate web content from the operating system and user files, the GPU subsystem often requires higher privileges or direct hardware access to function efficiently. By exploiting the uninitialized resource, a remote attacker can bypass these sandbox restrictions effectively. The ability to read memory outside the sandbox means that sensitive information such as cookies, session tokens, passwords stored in browser storage, or even cryptographic keys could be exfiltrated. This transforms what might otherwise be a contained cross-site scripting-like environment into a full-scale data leakage vector, undermining the fundamental security model of the web platform.
The severity of this issue is classified as High by Chromium standards due to its potential for remote code execution precursors and significant privacy violations. The attack requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage or being redirected via a link, making it suitable for drive-by download attacks. Furthermore, because GPU operations are often asynchronous and handled in separate processes, the exploitation complexity is reduced compared to traditional heap-based vulnerabilities that require precise timing and multiple allocation phases. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios where attackers can automate the delivery of crafted payloads through compromised websites or malicious advertisements.
In terms of industry classification frameworks, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-457, which describes Use of Uninitialized Variable, as well as CWE-125, Out-of-bounds Read. The exploitation technique maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Discovery and Collection, specifically leveraging memory scraping or data from local system components. It also touches upon privilege escalation concepts within the browser architecture, although it is technically a sandbox escape rather than an OS-level privilege elevation. Understanding these mappings helps security teams prioritize remediation efforts based on established risk taxonomies.
Mitigation for this vulnerability primarily involves updating Google Chrome to version 154.0.8037.92 or later, where the initialization routines have been corrected and bounds checking has likely been strengthened in the GPU process communication channels. For organizations unable to update immediately due to compatibility concerns, implementing strict Content Security Policy headers can help mitigate some attack vectors by restricting script execution and resource loading from untrusted sources. Additionally, disabling hardware acceleration temporarily may reduce the attack surface for this specific flaw, although it impacts performance significantly. Long-term resilience requires continuous monitoring of browser updates and ensuring that endpoint detection systems are configured to flag unusual memory access patterns originating from browser processes, which could indicate active exploitation attempts.