CVE-2026-113136 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Memory corruption in DevTools 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: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as a memory corruption flaw within the DevTools component of Google Chrome prior to version 156.0.8078.47 represents a significant risk vector for remote code execution attacks. This specific defect resides in the developer tools subsystem, which is typically used by web developers but can be accessed or manipulated through maliciously crafted content embedded within standard HTML pages served over the network. The core technical flaw involves improper handling of memory operations during the processing of these crafted pages, leading to conditions where an attacker can overwrite critical data structures or execute arbitrary instructions in a context that bypasses expected security boundaries. Although DevTools is often associated with debugging and development workflows, its integration into the browser's rendering engine means it remains accessible via standard web interactions when specific features are triggered by malicious scripts.
From a technical perspective, memory corruption vulnerabilities such as this one typically manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or heap sprays that allow an attacker to gain control over program execution flow. In the context of Chrome’s architecture, which relies heavily on sandboxing to isolate web content from the host operating system, successful exploitation requires breaking out of these restricted environments. The Chromium security team has classified this issue with a medium severity rating, indicating that while the vulnerability is exploitable and allows for arbitrary code execution inside the sandbox, it may require specific conditions or user interaction vectors to achieve full compromise compared to high-severity issues that might allow direct kernel-level access without such constraints. The attack vector involves an attacker hosting a specially crafted HTML page designed to trigger the memory corruption bug when viewed by a victim using an affected version of Chrome.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as successful exploitation grants a remote attacker the ability to execute arbitrary code within the browser’s sandboxed environment. While sandboxing provides a critical layer of defense by limiting the privileges of executed code, escaping or fully compromising the sandbox can lead to further lateral movement on the victim's system depending on subsequent exploit stages and OS-level protections. Attackers could potentially install malware, steal sensitive data such as cookies and session tokens, or use the compromised browser instance for phishing campaigns against other targets. The ability to execute arbitrary code means that even if full privilege escalation is not immediately achieved, the integrity of the user's browsing session and associated credentials are fundamentally compromised.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate patching by upgrading Google Chrome to version 156.0.8078.47 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through code fixes that enforce stricter bounds checking and object lifecycle management within the DevTools subsystem. For organizations unable to update immediately, network-level controls such as web application firewalls can be configured to detect and block requests containing signatures associated with this exploit attempt. Additionally, enabling Chrome’s built-in security features like Site Isolation ensures that even if an attacker exploits a vulnerability in one process, they are contained within that specific renderer process and cannot easily access data from other sites or the broader system. Regular monitoring of browser update notifications and enforcing automated patch management policies across all endpoints is essential to maintain resilience against such memory corruption threats.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories related to improper input validation and memory safety violations, specifically CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input or CWE-416 Use After Free, depending on the exact nature of the memory manipulation observed during analysis. In terms of tactical mapping within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates initial access through a web application attack vector and enables execution via client-side code injection techniques. The exploitation path demonstrates how seemingly benign developer tools components can become vectors for sophisticated attacks if not properly secured against malicious input patterns designed to trigger underlying memory management flaws in modern browser engines.