CVE-2026-106357 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
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 flaw within the WebRTC component of Google Chrome prior to version 155.0.8059.39 represents a critical memory management error that can be exploited by remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution. This specific class of defect occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, often due to improper handling of object lifecycles in complex multimedia frameworks like WebRTC. In this context, an attacker could craft a malicious HTML page that triggers the premature deallocation of a critical data structure while references to that same structure remain active within the browser's execution environment. When the application subsequently attempts to access or manipulate these dangling pointers, it interacts with memory regions that may have been reallocated for other purposes, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential control flow hijacking.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows a remote attacker to bypass Chrome’s sandboxing mechanisms by executing arbitrary code within the browser process itself. The severity is classified as high because successful exploitation can lead to full compromise of the user's system if further privilege escalation vectors are present or if the compromised process has access to sensitive local resources. WebRTC handles real-time communication data, including audio and video streams, which involves intricate memory management for buffers and object states. A flaw in this area is particularly dangerous because it resides deep within the browser engine where many security boundaries intersect, making exploitation techniques potentially more reliable than those targeting higher-level application logic.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-416, which defines use after free as a situation where an object is accessed after its memory has been released. The attack vector corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1203, specifically the exploitation of client-side software for code execution. By leveraging this flaw through a crafted HTML page, the attacker does not need physical access or user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site, highlighting the risks associated with rendering engines processing untrusted web content. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential installation of malware, keylogging, and surveillance capabilities depending on what permissions the browser process holds at the time of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.39 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through rigorous code reviews and automated fuzzing tests that detect dangling pointer scenarios before deployment. For organizations unable to update immediately due to compatibility constraints, deploying browser isolation solutions or restricting JavaScript execution in untrusted domains can reduce the attack surface. Additionally, enabling strict Content Security Policy headers helps limit the ability of malicious scripts to interact with sensitive APIs involved in WebRTC operations. Continuous monitoring for anomalous memory usage patterns and keeping security patches current are essential practices to defend against such sophisticated client-side exploits that target foundational browser components.