CVE-2026-118312 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2026
Memory corruption in Paint in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.73 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9488 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the Paint component of Google Chrome, specifically affecting versions prior to 156.0.8078.73. This defect arises from improper handling of data structures during the rendering and processing of graphical elements, which can be triggered by maliciously crafted HTML content hosted on a remote server. The core technical issue involves a failure in boundary checks or memory management routines within the Paint module, leading to conditions such as heap buffer overflows or use-after-free scenarios. When an attacker constructs a webpage containing specially designed graphics commands or malformed image data, they can exploit these logic errors to write beyond allocated memory boundaries or access freed memory regions that are still referenced by the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution outside the browser's sandbox environment. Modern web browsers rely heavily on multi-process architecture and sandboxes to isolate untrusted content from sensitive system resources. However, when a renderer process experiences a memory corruption error that allows control over instruction pointers or critical data structures, an attacker can bypass these isolation mechanisms. By leveraging specific exploitation techniques such as heap spraying orROP chains, the malicious code can escape the confined sandbox context and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user running the browser. This effectively compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire system, allowing for unauthorized access to files, installation of persistent malware, or use of the machine in botnets.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-120 Buffer Overflow without checks on string boundaries and CWE-416 Use After Free, depending on the specific memory state exploited during execution. In terms of offensive security frameworks, it maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers target client-side software rather than servers to gain initial access. The medium severity rating assigned by Chromium reflects the complexity required to reliably exploit the flaw in a real-world scenario, yet acknowledges that successful exploitation leads to high-impact outcomes including full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate patching of all affected Chrome installations to version 156.0.8078.73 or later, where these memory management routines have been hardened with additional validation checks and sanitization logic. Organizations should enforce automated update policies for browser deployments across endpoints to minimize the window of exposure. Additionally, users can reduce risk by disabling JavaScript execution on untrusted sites via security settings or using extensions that restrict rendering capabilities for suspicious domains. Security teams should also monitor network traffic for indicators of compromise associated with known exploit kits targeting this specific vulnerability and ensure endpoint detection systems are updated to recognize patterns consistent with sandbox escape attempts following initial page load.