CVE-2026-110167 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 components 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 reference a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this instance, the defect resides within the media subsystem, which handles the decoding and rendering of audio and video content embedded in web pages. The severity is classified as high due to the potential for arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges relative to other sandboxed processes, although it remains confined within Chrome's security boundaries compared to a full system compromise.
From a technical perspective, the root cause involves improper handling of memory deallocation sequences during media playback operations. When a web page containing crafted HTML and associated media resources is loaded, the browser allocates specific buffers for processing audio or video streams. If these buffers are freed prematurely while still being referenced by active pointers within the media pipeline, subsequent access to that memory location can result in reading corrupted data or executing attacker-controlled instructions injected into the reclaimed memory space. This scenario typically arises from race conditions or logic errors where reference counting mechanisms fail to accurately track object lifecycles during rapid state changes such as tab switching, video stopping and starting, or dynamic DOM manipulation involving media elements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the browser's sandbox environment via a specially crafted HTML page. An attacker would need to host malicious content on a website or lure a victim into visiting such a site through phishing campaigns or drive-by downloads. Once executed, the payload operates within the restricted context of the renderer process, which limits its immediate ability to modify system files or access sensitive user data directly. However, sandbox escape techniques could potentially leverage this foothold to break out of the browser's isolation mechanisms, leading to full device compromise. The attack vector is classified as remote with low complexity, requiring no special privileges from the victim other than browsing behavior that triggers the vulnerable media processing path.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) ID 416, which defines use-after-free errors as a category of memory corruption vulnerabilities where pointers are used after they have been freed. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this exploit scenario maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203, specifically the exploitation phase involving client-side code execution through browser-based attacks. The attack relies on social engineering or malicious web content delivery rather than direct network intrusion, emphasizing the importance of user awareness and secure browsing habits alongside technical controls.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.79 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through rigorous code reviews and automated fuzzing tests that detect such lifecycle mismatches. For organizations managing large fleets of devices, deploying enterprise browser policies can enforce automatic updates to ensure all endpoints remain protected against known vulnerabilities in the media stack. Additionally, enabling sandbox enforcement features and restricting script execution on untrusted sites reduces the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to unusual memory allocation patterns or unexpected process spawns following web browsing activities, as these may signal attempted exploitation attempts targeting this specific flaw.