CVE-2026-121148 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 11/03/2026
Use after free in ANGLE in Google Chrome prior to 157.0.8103.38 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free flaw within the ANGLE graphics library in Google Chrome prior to version 157.0.8103.38 represents a critical memory management error that compromises the integrity of the browser's execution environment. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when software continues to reference a memory address after it has been freed or deallocated by the system. In this specific instance, the ANGLE component, which serves as an implementation of OpenGL ES for web browsers and translates WebGL calls into native graphics API commands such as DirectX or Metal, retained a pointer to a memory block that had already been released back to the operating system's heap manager. This state creates a dangerous window where subsequent operations can interact with uninitialized or recycled memory contents rather than valid application data.
The technical mechanism behind this flaw involves improper lifecycle management of graphics resources within the ANGLE translation layer. When WebGL contexts are destroyed or when specific rendering commands trigger resource cleanup, the underlying C++ objects responsible for managing GPU buffers and textures were not correctly nullified after deallocation. Consequently, if a subsequent operation attempted to access these resources through stale pointers, it would read from or write to memory locations that could be controlled by an attacker who had previously allocated overlapping data structures via JavaScript heap spraying techniques. This misalignment between the logical state of the graphics object and its physical memory allocation allows for arbitrary code execution because the browser process interprets maliciously crafted binary data as valid instructions or control flow modifications.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability is particularly severe due to its potential to bypass Chrome's sandboxing mechanisms. Modern browsers employ strict sandboxes to isolate web content from the host operating system, limiting the damage that compromised pages can inflict on user systems. However, use-after-free bugs in core components like ANGLE often operate with higher privileges or within contexts where memory corruption leads directly to instruction pointer control. By exploiting this flaw through a crafted HTML page containing malicious JavaScript and WebGL shaders, an attacker could achieve arbitrary code execution outside the sandbox boundary. This effectively neutralizes one of the primary defense-in-depth layers provided by modern web browsers, allowing full compromise of the user's machine under certain conditions depending on exploitability factors such as heap layout stability and available mitigation technologies like ASLR or DEP.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for any organization relying on Google Chrome for secure browsing activities. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution without user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, facilitating malware installation, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within enterprise networks if the browser is used as an entry point. Given that ANGLE is integral to rendering complex web applications and games, this flaw affects a wide range of modern web content types including 3D graphics, video processing interfaces, and interactive visualizations. The severity rating of High by Chromium security teams reflects both the ease with which such memory corruption bugs can be triggered in real-world scenarios and the high privilege level typically associated with browser renderer processes that interact directly with hardware acceleration features.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate patching to version 157.0.8103.38 or later, where Google has addressed the lifecycle management issues within ANGLE by ensuring proper nullification of pointers after memory deallocation and adding additional bounds checking during resource access operations. Organizations should enforce automated update policies for all endpoints running affected browser versions to minimize exposure windows. For environments unable to patch immediately, network-level controls such as web filtering proxies can be configured to block traffic from known malicious domains or restrict the loading of untrusted WebGL content. Additionally, enabling strict Content Security Policy headers and disabling unnecessary JavaScript features in sensitive browsing contexts can reduce the attack surface available for heap spraying techniques required to stabilize exploitation conditions.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416 which describes use-after-free errors resulting from improper memory management practices during object lifetime transitions. In terms of adversary tactics, this exploit vector corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1203 involving the execution of malicious code through browser-based mechanisms and potentially leverages techniques related to privilege escalation if sandbox escape is successfully achieved. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise associated with WebGL exploitation attempts, including unusual memory allocation patterns or spikes in GPU-related process activity that deviate from normal baseline behavior. Continuous monitoring and rapid response capabilities are essential given the high prevalence of such vulnerabilities in complex software stacks like Chromium-based browsers where deep integration between web standards and system-level graphics APIs increases complexity and potential for implementation errors.