CVE-2026-11208 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 06/05/2026
Use after free in Codecs in Google Chrome prior to 149.0.7827.53 allowed a remote attacker to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2026
This vulnerability represents a use-after-free condition within the codecs component of google chrome browser affecting versions prior to 149.0.7827.53. The flaw occurs when the browser processes multimedia content through its codec handling mechanisms, where memory that has been freed is subsequently accessed or referenced by the application. Such memory corruption issues typically arise when the application fails to properly manage object lifecycles, particularly in scenarios involving complex multimedia processing where multiple threads or components interact with shared memory resources. The vulnerability is classified as a medium severity issue by chromium security team, indicating potential for exploitation in specific circumstances that could allow remote attackers to extract sensitive information from process memory.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the browser's multimedia processing pipeline. When chrome handles various codec formats for audio and video content, the underlying code may free memory associated with codec objects while other processes or threads still maintain references to that memory location. This creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious html pages that trigger the specific code path leading to memory corruption, potentially allowing them to read data from adjacent memory regions or even manipulate the freed memory before it is reallocated. The flaw demonstrates weaknesses in the memory management practices within the browser's multimedia subsystem, where proper object lifecycle management is not adequately enforced during codec processing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the memory corruption for privilege escalation or remote code execution. While the immediate severity is classified as medium, the underlying nature of use-after-free vulnerabilities makes them attractive targets for attackers who can potentially craft payloads that exploit the memory corruption to gain additional system access. The remote nature of the attack means that users could be compromised simply by visiting a malicious webpage, making this particularly concerning for web-based attack scenarios. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory safety issues that affect modern web browsers, where complex multimedia processing creates numerous potential attack surfaces for memory corruption exploits.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve updating to chrome version 149.0.7827.53 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory management issues in the codecs component. Organizations should prioritize this update as part of their regular security maintenance procedures, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted web content. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict content filtering policies, deploying web application firewalls, and maintaining comprehensive monitoring for suspicious network activity related to browser exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack tactics and techniques framework, particularly those involving memory corruption exploitation and browser-based reconnaissance activities. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability may impact organizations subject to security standards such as iso 27001, nist cybersecurity framework, and other regulatory requirements that mandate timely patch management and vulnerability remediation.