CVE-2026-113096 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Memory corruption in Text in Google Chrome on on Android 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: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical memory corruption flaw within the text rendering engine of Google Chrome on Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 156.0.8078.47. This issue stems from improper handling of data structures during the processing of complex HTML content, leading to conditions such as heap buffer overflows or use-after-free scenarios. When a user visits a maliciously crafted webpage containing specially designed text elements and associated styling instructions, the browser's rendering engine fails to properly validate memory boundaries or object lifecycles. This failure allows an attacker to write data beyond allocated memory limits or access freed memory regions, thereby corrupting the heap structure. The severity of this flaw is classified as Medium by Chromium security standards, reflecting its potential for exploitation under specific conditions while acknowledging that it may require certain user interactions or environmental factors to achieve full code execution capabilities.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in how Chrome processes text layout and font metrics during page rendering. Modern browsers employ sophisticated engines like Blink to parse HTML and CSS, calculating positions and sizes of elements before painting them on screen. In this instance, an error in these calculations or memory management routines creates a window for exploitation. By crafting an HTML page with specific combinations of fonts, styles, and potentially embedded scripts, an attacker can trigger the flawed code path. The resulting memory corruption allows for arbitrary read and write operations within the browser process space. Although Chrome employs robust sandboxing mechanisms to isolate web content from the operating system, successful exploitation of this vulnerability enables a remote attacker to bypass these protections. By carefully manipulating heap metadata or function pointers through the corrupted memory state, an attacker can redirect execution flow to inject and run arbitrary shellcode inside the restricted sandbox environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to its potential for remote code execution without user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site. If successfully exploited, it grants attackers full control over the browser process running on the Android device. This level of access can lead to data exfiltration, installation of persistent malware, or further lateral movement within a network if the compromised device is part of an enterprise environment. The ability to execute code inside the sandbox undermines one of the primary security defenses in modern web browsers, which relies heavily on process isolation and privilege separation. Attackers leveraging this flaw could potentially escalate privileges by chaining it with other vulnerabilities or exploiting weaknesses in the underlying Android OS components that interact closely with browser processes.
To mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, immediate action is required to update Google Chrome on all affected Android devices to version 156.0.8078.47 or later. This patch includes fixes for the memory management issues within the text rendering engine, ensuring that boundary checks are correctly enforced and object lifecycles are properly managed. Organizations should enforce automated browser updates through mobile device management policies to ensure timely deployment of security patches. Additionally, users can reduce their exposure by enabling safe browsing features in Chrome, which helps block access to known malicious websites. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, such as unusual network traffic patterns or unexpected process behavior originating from the browser application.
This incident aligns with common weakness enumeration categories such as CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input and CWE-416 Use After Free, which are prevalent in complex software systems like web browsers. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques including T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for code execution within the sandboxed environment and potentially T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution if delivered via phishing or drive-by download mechanisms. Understanding these mappings helps security professionals prioritize remediation efforts based on established industry frameworks and threat intelligence models, ensuring a structured approach to defending against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in future software updates.