CVE-2026-106274 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Incorrect reference resolution in Browser in Google Chrome on on Mac prior to 155.0.8059.39 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to obtain sensitive information via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as an incorrect reference resolution within the Google Chrome browser on macOS represents a significant class of web-based attacks that exploit how browsers handle object references and memory management during rendering processes. This flaw, present in versions prior to 155.0.8059.39, stems from improper handling of internal pointers or identifiers when processing complex HTML structures. Specifically, the browser fails to correctly validate or resolve certain DOM (Document Object Model) elements before they are accessed by subsequent scripts or rendering engines. This misalignment allows a crafted HTML page to manipulate how the browser interprets specific object references, potentially leading to unintended memory access patterns that deviate from expected security boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability is primarily leveraged through social engineering tactics where a victim is induced to visit a maliciously constructed webpage. The attacker crafts an HTML document containing specially designed elements and scripts that trigger the incorrect reference resolution logic within the browser engine. When the page loads, the flawed code exploits the discrepancy in how references are resolved, potentially allowing access to sensitive data stored in memory or accessible through the DOM structure of other tabs or contexts. This could include session cookies, local storage contents, or other user-specific information that is typically protected by same-origin policies but becomes exposed due to this internal resolution error.
The security severity assigned by Chromium as Medium reflects the balance between exploitability and impact. While it requires social engineering to initiate the attack vector, meaning a direct remote code execution without user interaction is not possible, the potential for data exfiltration makes it a serious concern. The attacker does not need elevated privileges on the host system but relies entirely on the victim's action of visiting the malicious site. Once triggered, the vulnerability allows the webpage to bypass standard isolation mechanisms by misusing reference resolution logic, thereby gaining unauthorized access to information that should remain confined to its origin context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on software updates and defensive browsing practices. Users must upgrade Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.39 or later, where the underlying code has been patched to correctly validate reference resolutions before execution. Additionally, employing browser extensions that enforce strict content security policies can help mitigate such risks by restricting how scripts interact with DOM elements and memory references. Security awareness training is also critical, as it helps users recognize social engineering attempts designed to lure them into visiting malicious sites containing crafted HTML payloads.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-470, which describes improper use of externally-controlled inputs in object reference resolution, highlighting the failure to validate input before using it to access internal objects or memory locations. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this attack vector corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1566.002, specifically Spearphishing Link, where attackers send links to malicious websites that exploit browser vulnerabilities upon visit. Understanding these mappings helps organizations prioritize patching efforts and enhance monitoring for indicators of compromise associated with such web-based exploitation attempts.