CVE-2026-113189 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Use after free in Core in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.47 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code outside 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 use-after-free flaw within the core components of Google Chrome prior to version 156.0.8078.47 represents a critical memory management error that undermines the browser's sandboxing mechanisms. This type of defect occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this specific instance, an attacker could craft a specialized HTML page designed to trigger the premature release of a memory object while retaining a reference to it. When the browser subsequently attempts to access or manipulate this dangling pointer, it interacts with memory locations that may have been reallocated for different purposes, thereby allowing the execution of arbitrary code outside the restrictive sandbox environment where Chrome typically isolates web content from the host operating system.
From a technical perspective, use-after-free vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they provide a reliable mechanism for achieving arbitrary read and write primitives in memory. These primitives serve as foundational building blocks for more complex exploitation chains, such as heap spraying or type confusion attacks, which ultimately lead to remote code execution. The severity of this issue is classified as medium by the Chromium security team, yet its potential impact on system integrity remains high due to the bypass of sandbox protections. This aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free errors under memory corruption issues that can lead to code execution or denial of service conditions depending on how the freed memory is reused by the application logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, as it enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the victim's machine with the privileges of the browser process. By leveraging a crafted HTML page hosted on a malicious website or delivered via phishing campaigns, an adversary can bypass Chrome's multi-process architecture and sandboxing layers. This effectively grants the attacker control over the user's environment, potentially leading to further compromise such as installation of malware, theft of sensitive credentials stored in the browser, or pivoting into internal network resources if the compromised machine is part of a larger infrastructure. The ability to escape the sandbox significantly elevates the risk profile compared to standard cross-site scripting or content injection attacks that remain confined within the browser's security boundaries.
To mitigate this vulnerability and similar memory corruption issues, organizations must ensure that all instances of Google Chrome are updated to version 156.0.8078.47 or later immediately upon availability. Patch management processes should be prioritized for web browsers given their frequent exposure to untrusted content from the internet. Additionally, deploying browser hardening techniques such as disabling JavaScript execution on unknown sites through enterprise policies can reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise associated with exploit kits that target known memory corruption flaws in popular web browsers. From a defensive posture perspective, this incident reinforces the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and leveraging endpoint detection and response solutions capable of identifying anomalous behavior resulting from sandbox escapes or unexpected process executions originating from browser processes. This vulnerability is also relevant to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for client execution, highlighting how attackers leverage software vulnerabilities to establish initial access on target systems through social engineering vectors like malicious web pages.