CVE-2026-106193 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Use after free in Parser in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.39 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 • 10/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free condition within the Chromium parser component represents a critical memory safety flaw that was addressed in Google Chrome version 155.0.8059.39 and later releases. This class of vulnerabilities arises when software continues to use a pointer after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors. In the specific context of the Chromium browser engine, this flaw existed within the code responsible for parsing HTML content. When a user navigated to or was redirected to a specially crafted HTML page containing malformed or specifically structured markup, the parser would allocate memory buffers to handle the document structure and subsequently free them as part of its normal cleanup process. However, due to a logic error in reference counting or state management within the parser, certain internal objects retained references to these now-deallocated memory regions.
From a technical perspective, this use-after-free scenario allows an attacker to control the contents of the freed memory by allocating new data structures that overlap with the previously used buffer. By carefully crafting the HTML payload and potentially leveraging subsequent parsing operations or JavaScript execution contexts, an attacker can manipulate what gets written into these reclaimed memory slots. This manipulation enables the overwriting of critical function pointers or object headers within the browser process. When the parser subsequently attempts to access these corrupted structures, it may execute arbitrary code at a location determined by the attacker rather than following the intended control flow. The severity is classified as High because this flaw directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of user data processed through the browser engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution within the Chrome sandbox environment. Modern browsers employ strict sandboxing mechanisms designed to isolate untrusted web content from the host operating system, thereby limiting the damage an attacker can cause even if they successfully exploit a rendering or parsing bug. However, use-after-free vulnerabilities in core components like the parser often provide sufficient primitives for attackers to perform heap spraying techniques and achieve arbitrary read-write capabilities within the sandboxed process. Once such control is established, sophisticated exploits typically chain this initial foothold with additional kernel-level vulnerabilities or browser-specific escape mechanisms to break out of the sandbox entirely. This would allow full compromise of the underlying operating system, leading to data theft, installation of persistent malware, or use of the machine as part of a botnet.
This vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which describes Use After Free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been freed. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this exploit path corresponds to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203, specifically the execution phase involving exploitation for client-side code execution via browser vulnerabilities. The attack vector falls under Remote Code Execution (RCE) and typically involves social engineering elements such as phishing emails or malicious websites that lure users into visiting the crafted HTML page without their explicit intent to execute harmful scripts.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.39 or any subsequent release where this memory management logic has been corrected by the Chromium security team. Developers and system administrators should ensure that automatic update mechanisms are enabled for all endpoints running affected versions of the browser. For organizations unable to patch immediately, network-level controls such as web filtering proxies can be configured to block access to known malicious domains or restrict execution of untrusted HTML content from external sources. Additionally, enabling Chrome’s built-in sandbox protections and keeping operating system security patches up to date provides layered defense against potential exploitation attempts that might attempt to escalate privileges beyond the browser process boundary.