CVE-2026-110153 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/15/2026
Use after free in Media in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 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 • 10/15/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free error within the media processing subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 155.0.8059.79 represents a critical memory management flaw that compromises the integrity and confidentiality of user data. This specific class of vulnerabilities occurs when an application 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 within the components responsible for handling multimedia content, which are often complex due to their interaction with hardware accelerators and various codec implementations. The presence of such a defect in these subsystems is particularly concerning because media parsers frequently process untrusted input from remote sources, making them prime targets for exploitation attempts aimed at bypassing browser security boundaries.
The operational mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the allocation and subsequent deallocation of memory buffers used during the decoding or rendering of media files embedded within an HTML page. When a crafted HTML page is loaded, it triggers specific code paths that manage these resources. Due to improper tracking of object lifecycles, the application may retain references to memory regions that have already been released back to the system allocator. If an attacker can control the content written into this freed memory region before it is reallocated for a different purpose, they can manipulate internal data structures or function pointers. This manipulation allows for arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser process. The severity rating of High from Chromium reflects the potential impact on user systems and the relative ease with which such conditions might be triggered through standard web browsing activities involving embedded media elements.
From a security architecture perspective, this vulnerability highlights the challenges associated with maintaining memory safety in large-scale software projects written primarily in C++. Despite Chrome's extensive use of sandboxing to limit the damage caused by successful exploits, a use-after-free condition can often lead to information disclosure or code execution that escapes these containment mechanisms if the attacker successfully achieves arbitrary read and write primitives. The exploitation chain typically involves triggering the initial memory corruption, followed by heap grooming techniques to place controlled data in the freed region, and finally executing the malicious payload when the corrupted pointer is dereferenced. This sequence aligns with common attack patterns observed in modern browser exploits where attackers seek to bypass mitigations such as Control Flow Integrity (CFI) or Data Execution Prevention (DEP).
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution. Successful exploitation could allow a remote attacker to install malware, steal sensitive information such as cookies and session tokens, or perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent. Given that media processing is integral to modern web applications, including video conferencing platforms, streaming services, and interactive content sites, the attack surface is broad. Users visiting compromised websites or those hosting maliciously crafted multimedia files are at risk. The ability to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox significantly elevates the threat level, as it undermines one of the primary defenses employed by web browsers to protect users from remote attacks.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations and individual users must ensure that Google Chrome is updated to version 155.0.8059.79 or later immediately upon availability. This update contains patches that correct the memory management logic within the media subsystem, ensuring that pointers are properly invalidated after deallocation and preventing access to freed memory regions. Additionally, security administrators should enforce strict software update policies across all endpoints running Chrome to minimize exposure windows. While technical mitigations like sandboxing provide a layer of defense, they are not foolproof against sophisticated use-after-free exploits. Therefore, keeping the browser up-to-date remains the most effective countermeasure. Users can also employ additional protective measures such as disabling unnecessary plugins or using extensions that restrict media autoplay and processing to reduce the attack surface further.
This incident underscores the importance of rigorous code review practices and automated fuzzing in software development life cycles, particularly for components handling untrusted input like media parsers. Industry standards such as CWE-416, which defines use-after-free errors, emphasize the need for proper resource management and lifecycle tracking to prevent such defects. Furthermore, mapping this vulnerability to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to initial access or execution via browser-based vectors helps in understanding its place within broader cyber threat landscapes. By addressing these foundational memory safety issues, developers can significantly reduce the risk of successful exploitation and enhance the overall security posture of web browsing environments.