CVE-2026-113085 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Use after free in Media in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.47 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free condition within the media subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 156.0.8078.47 represents a critical memory management error that can be exploited by remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution. This flaw stems from improper handling of object lifecycles, specifically where a pointer continues to reference a memory location after the associated object has been deallocated or freed. In the context of web browsers, such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they reside within components responsible for processing complex media formats and streams, which often involve intricate state management and asynchronous operations that can be manipulated through crafted input.
From a technical perspective, this defect allows an attacker to trigger a scenario where the browser attempts to access or modify memory via a dangling pointer. When the freed memory is subsequently reallocated for a different purpose, potentially by another part of the application or even by malicious code injected into the page context, the original operation may inadvertently interact with the new data structure. This misalignment can lead to controlled overwrites of critical internal structures, such as function pointers or virtual table entries, which are essential for normal program execution flow. By carefully crafting an HTML page that exploits this race condition or state inconsistency, a remote attacker can redirect control flow to execute arbitrary shellcode within the browser process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe despite its classification with low severity in Chromium's internal scoring system. The primary risk involves unauthorized code execution inside the sandboxed environment of the Chrome renderer process. While modern browsers employ robust sandboxing mechanisms designed to isolate web content from the host operating system, a successful exploitation of this use-after-free flaw could allow an attacker to escape these restrictions or escalate privileges within the browser's context. This could lead to data exfiltration, installation of malware, or further lateral movement if additional vulnerabilities are chained together. The ability to execute arbitrary code via a simple HTML page means that phishing campaigns or compromised websites can serve as effective vectors for initial access without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which defines use after free errors, and is frequently associated with ATT&CK technique T1203, known as Exploitation for Client Execution. The exploitation vector typically involves social engineering or drive-by download tactics where a victim is directed to a malicious webpage containing the crafted HTML payload. Security researchers note that such memory corruption bugs are among the most prevalent causes of browser-based exploits due to their potential for precise control over program state and memory layout.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 156.0.8078.47 or later, where these issues have been addressed through improved memory management practices and stricter validation checks before dereferencing pointers. Organizations should enforce automated update policies for all endpoints running the browser to ensure timely patching of known vulnerabilities. Additionally, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions with behavioral analysis capabilities can help identify anomalous processes spawned by the browser that may indicate successful exploitation attempts. For developers integrating media components into custom applications based on Chromium, it is crucial to adhere to secure coding standards that emphasize rigorous lifecycle management and validation of object states before access.