CVE-2026-113218 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Use after free in DataTransfer 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 use-after-free flaw within the DataTransfer object in 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 specific class of vulnerabilities occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that often results in the corruption of heap data structures or the execution of malicious payloads injected into the process memory space. In the context of web browsers like Chrome, which operate within a sandboxed environment to limit the impact of potential exploits, this flaw allows an attacker to bypass certain security boundaries by manipulating how JavaScript handles clipboard and drag-and-drop operations through the DataTransfer API.
The technical root cause lies in the lifecycle management of objects associated with data transfer events. When a user interacts with elements on a webpage that trigger copy, cut, or drag actions, Chrome creates internal structures to manage the transferred data. If these structures are prematurely deallocated while still being referenced by active JavaScript event handlers or other parts of the browser engine, subsequent access to those freed memory regions can lead to heap corruption. An attacker crafting a malicious HTML page can orchestrate specific sequences of events that force the browser to free an object and then immediately attempt to read from or write to its former location. This timing window enables the manipulation of internal pointers, potentially allowing the attacker to control program flow or overwrite critical data structures such as function pointers or virtual table entries.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-416, Use After Free, which highlights the danger of dereferencing memory that has already been returned to the system allocator. The exploitation of this flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage vulnerabilities in client-side software to run malicious code on a victim's machine. Although Chrome employs robust sandboxing mechanisms designed to isolate renderer processes from the operating system and other sensitive components, successful exploitation of a use-after-free vulnerability can sometimes lead to sandbox escape or direct compromise of the renderer process itself. This compromises the integrity of the browsing session and may allow further lateral movement within the host environment if additional vulnerabilities are chained together.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a maliciously crafted webpage, making it suitable for drive-by download attacks or phishing campaigns where social engineering has already lowered user defenses. The Chromium security severity rating of Medium reflects the balance between the complexity required to reliably exploit the flaw and the high value of achieving code execution within the browser context. While sandboxing mitigates some risks, any arbitrary code execution capability poses a threat to data confidentiality and system integrity, particularly if sensitive information is being processed or transmitted during the compromised session.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 156.0.8078.47 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through improved reference counting and stricter validation of object lifecycles within the DataTransfer implementation. For organizations managing large fleets of devices, deploying automated patching solutions ensures that users are protected against such remote exploitation attempts without requiring manual intervention. Additionally, security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise associated with browser-based exploits, including unusual network connections from Chrome processes or unexpected memory usage patterns, to detect potential active attacks in real time.