CVE-2026-113064 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Memory corruption in OptimizationGuide in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.47 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability identified within the Optimization Guide component of Google Chrome, specifically in versions prior to 156.0.8078.47, represents a critical memory corruption flaw that undermines the browser's core security model. This defect allows for potential arbitrary code execution by remote attackers through the delivery of a specially crafted HTML page. The severity is classified as Medium within the Chromium ecosystem, reflecting its significant impact on system integrity while acknowledging the presence of existing sandboxing mechanisms that may mitigate immediate exploitation in some contexts.
At the technical level, memory corruption vulnerabilities typically arise from improper handling of data structures in memory, such as buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or heap corruption. In this specific instance, the flaw resides within the Optimization Guide module, a component responsible for managing performance optimizations and resource loading strategies to enhance browsing speed and efficiency. When processing maliciously crafted input embedded in an HTML page, the application fails to properly validate memory boundaries or object lifecycles. This failure leads to unauthorized read or write operations in adjacent memory regions, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite critical control data such as function pointers or return addresses. Such manipulation can redirect program execution flow to arbitrary code injected by the attacker, effectively bypassing normal security checks and gaining elevated privileges within the browser process context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial due to its remote exploitability via standard web content. An attacker does not need physical access or prior authentication; they merely need a victim to visit a maliciously constructed webpage that triggers the flawed code path in the Optimization Guide. Although Chrome employs a multi-process architecture with sandboxing designed to restrict the damage of successful exploits, memory corruption vulnerabilities remain high-risk because sophisticated attackers can often chain multiple flaws to escape the sandbox environment entirely. If an attacker successfully executes arbitrary code within the browser process before escaping the sandbox, they may access sensitive user data such as cookies, session tokens, and browsing history. Furthermore, if the sandbox boundary is breached, the consequences escalate to full system compromise, allowing installation of malware, keylogging, or lateral movement across a network.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories related to memory safety violations, particularly CWE-120 Buffer Overflow without description and potentially CWE-416 Use After Free if the corruption stems from dangling pointers within the optimization logic. From an adversary perspective, this exploit technique maps to MITRE ATT&CK tactics involving Initial Access via Spearphishing Link or Drive-by Compromise, where malicious web content serves as the delivery mechanism for code execution payloads. The exploitation vector relies on social engineering or compromised legitimate websites hosting the crafted HTML page, making detection difficult without advanced endpoint protection solutions that monitor for anomalous memory access patterns or sandbox escape attempts.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate software updates to ensure all instances of Google Chrome are upgraded to version 156.0.8078.47 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed by the development team through rigorous code review and fuzzing testing efforts. Organizations should enforce automated patch management policies to minimize exposure windows for such vulnerabilities. Additionally, users can reduce risk by disabling JavaScript on untrusted sites using browser extensions or security settings, although this may impact usability. Security teams should also monitor network traffic for indicators of compromise associated with known exploit kits that target Chrome memory corruption flaws and ensure endpoint detection and response tools are configured to alert on suspicious process behavior indicative of sandbox escape attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can further help identify similar weaknesses in custom web applications or internal systems before they are exploited by threat actors.