CVE-2026-103631 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2026
Buffer overflow in WebRTC in Google Chrome prior to 154.0.8037.97 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6967 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the WebRTC implementation of Google Chrome prior to version 154.0.8037.97. This flaw resides in the core media processing components that handle real-time communication data streams, specifically affecting how memory is allocated and managed during the parsing or decoding of crafted multimedia payloads. The root cause lies in improper bounds checking when handling input data from external sources, allowing an attacker to write beyond the boundaries of a designated buffer region. This type of error typically occurs due to insufficient validation of array indices or string lengths before copying data into fixed-size memory blocks, leading to heap corruption that can be leveraged for arbitrary code execution.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-120, which denotes Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input Classic Buffer Overflow. The exploitation vector involves the creation and delivery of a specially crafted HTML page containing malicious JavaScript or embedded media resources designed to trigger the overflow condition within the WebRTC engine. When Chrome processes these malformed inputs during normal browsing activities such as loading web pages with video conferencing features or peer-to-peer data channels, the memory corruption occurs in user-space but within the browser's sandboxed environment. The severity is rated as High by Chromium security standards because successful exploitation allows for arbitrary code execution, which can lead to full system compromise if additional vulnerabilities are chained together to escape the sandbox boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes or denial-of-service scenarios. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw gains the ability to execute arbitrary commands on the victim's machine with the privileges of the current user process. This capability enables a wide range of malicious activities including data exfiltration, installation of persistent malware, lateral movement within networked environments, and complete system takeover. The presence of WebRTC in modern web applications significantly expands the attack surface, as many legitimate websites utilize these APIs for video calls, screen sharing, or file transfers, thereby increasing the likelihood that a user will encounter malicious content designed to trigger this specific code path.
In terms of threat intelligence frameworks, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage software vulnerabilities in client-side applications to execute their payload without requiring direct installation by the victim. It also relates to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter if the executed code involves scripting languages commonly used in web contexts. The exploitation relies on social engineering or drive-by download tactics where users are directed to malicious sites that automatically attempt to trigger the vulnerability upon page load, often without any further interaction required from the user beyond visiting the site.
Mitigation strategies primarily focus on immediate software updates and defensive configuration measures. Users must upgrade Google Chrome to version 154.0.8037.97 or later where these memory management issues have been corrected through rigorous code reviews and fuzzing efforts by Chromium developers. For organizations managing large fleets of devices, automated patch deployment systems should be configured to prioritize this update due to the high severity rating and active exploitation potential in the wild. Additionally, enabling sandbox enforcement mechanisms ensures that even if an exploit attempt succeeds in triggering the buffer overflow, the damage is contained within isolated process boundaries rather than affecting the entire operating system.
Security administrators should also consider implementing network-level controls such as web filtering proxies or secure browser gateways to block access to known malicious domains hosting exploits for this vulnerability. Monitoring endpoint detection and response systems for unusual memory allocation patterns or suspicious child processes spawned by Chrome can provide early warning indicators of exploitation attempts. Regular security awareness training remains essential to reduce the success rate of social engineering campaigns that drive users toward vulnerable web content, complementing technical controls with human-centric defenses against sophisticated phishing operations targeting browser-based vulnerabilities.