CVE-2026-119266 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
Use after free in Quota in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.79 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free error within the Quota management subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 156.0.8078.79 represents a critical memory safety flaw that undermines the browser's core isolation mechanisms. This specific defect occurs when the application continues to reference a memory block after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior during runtime operations related to storage quota tracking and enforcement. In modern web browsers like Chrome, the Quota API is responsible for managing how much local storage data websites can retain on a user's device. When an attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that triggers this specific sequence of events within the browser engine, they can manipulate the state of freed memory pointers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources or execute arbitrary code.
From a technical perspective, use-after-free vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they allow attackers to control what data is written into the reclaimed memory space before it is reallocated for another purpose. By carefully crafting input that forces the browser to free an object associated with quota management and then immediately access that same object through a dangling pointer, an attacker can achieve arbitrary read or write capabilities within the context of the renderer process. This capability effectively bypasses standard security boundaries because the malicious code operates under the privileges granted to the web page's execution environment rather than being confined by stricter sandbox policies designed to prevent system-level compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution via a simple crafted HTML page, which aligns with common attack vectors such as phishing or drive-by downloads. An attacker does not need physical access to the victim's machine nor do they require any prior authentication; merely convincing a user to visit a malicious site is sufficient to trigger the exploit. Once executed within the sandboxed renderer process, this vulnerability can potentially be chained with other exploits to escape the browser sandbox entirely, granting full control over the underlying operating system. This level of access allows for data exfiltration, installation of persistent malware, and further lateral movement within a network if the compromised machine is part of an enterprise environment.
This flaw maps directly to Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which describes use after free conditions where memory that has been freed is accessed without proper checks or reallocation safeguards. Furthermore, in terms of tactical execution within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates initial access and privilege escalation techniques often categorized under command and control or defense evasion strategies depending on how it is leveraged post-exploitation. The ability to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox indicates a failure in enforcing strict memory safety protocols during object lifecycle management, highlighting the importance of robust garbage collection mechanisms and pointer validation within complex software architectures like web browsers.
Mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate updating of Google Chrome to version 156.0.8078.79 or later, where these memory handling issues have been addressed through code patches that ensure proper nullification of pointers after deallocation and stricter bounds checking during quota operations. Organizations should enforce automated patch management policies to minimize the window of exposure for end-users against such remote exploits. Additionally, deploying browser isolation technologies or content security policies can provide an additional layer of defense by restricting the execution context of untrusted web content, thereby reducing the likelihood that a successful exploitation attempt will lead to full system compromise even if the underlying vulnerability is present in older versions of the software.