CVE-2026-106268 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Use after free in WebRTC 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 • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free condition within the WebRTC component of Google Chrome prior to version 155.0.8059.39 represents a critical memory management flaw that compromises the integrity and confidentiality of user data. This specific class of error occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this instance, the flaw resides in the complex media handling logic inherent to WebRTC, which manages real-time audio and video communication streams directly within the browser environment. The presence of such a vulnerability highlights the risks associated with high-complexity codebases where memory allocation and deallocation patterns are intricate and prone to race conditions or logical errors during object lifecycle management.
A remote attacker can exploit this flaw by crafting an HTML page that triggers the specific sequence leading to the premature release of a WebRTC-related object while references to it remain active within the application state. When the browser processes this crafted content, typically through JavaScript interactions with the WebRTC API, the dangling pointer is accessed rather than being invalidated or checked for validity. This access allows the attacker to manipulate memory contents in ways that were not intended by the software developers. Because Chrome operates under a sandboxing model designed to restrict the actions of web pages and extensions, this exploitation requires precise control over heap layout and object states to bypass these security boundaries successfully.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for arbitrary code execution within the browser's sandboxed environment. While modern browsers employ multiple layers of defense such as DEP (Data Execution Prevention) and ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization), a well-crafted use-after-free exploit can often circumvent these protections through techniques like heap spraying or controlled overwrites that redirect control flow to shellcode placed in executable memory regions. Successful exploitation would allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the victim's system with the privileges of the browser process, potentially leading to full system compromise if further escalation vectors are available outside the sandbox. This capability transforms a simple web browsing session into a vector for malware installation, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within a networked environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-416, which describes Use After Free scenarios where memory is accessed after it has been returned to the system allocator. The exploitation technique leverages ATT&CK Tactic TA0002 Execution and specifically relates to techniques involving client-side scripting or browser-based attacks that aim to achieve code execution without user interaction beyond visiting a malicious site. This categorization underscores the importance of understanding how web technologies can be weaponized when underlying memory safety guarantees are violated, emphasizing the need for rigorous static analysis and fuzzing during software development cycles to detect such logic errors before deployment.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.39 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through code patches that ensure proper reference counting and nullification of pointers after deallocation. Organizations should enforce automated patching policies for all endpoints running the affected browser software to minimize exposure windows. Additionally, users can reduce risk by disabling unnecessary WebRTC permissions in their browser settings if real-time communication features are not required for their workflow, thereby limiting the attack surface available to remote attackers attempting to trigger these code paths through malicious web content.