CVE-2026-121234 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 11/03/2026
Privilege elevation in Contacts in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 157.0.8103.38 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 • 11/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6983 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Contacts component of Google Chrome for Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 157.0.8103.38. This security defect allows an attacker who can trick a user into visiting a maliciously crafted HTML page to execute arbitrary code outside the browser's sandbox environment. The Chromium project has classified this issue with a medium severity rating, indicating that while it requires specific conditions such as social engineering or drive-by download tactics to exploit, its impact on system integrity is significant due to the bypass of fundamental isolation mechanisms designed to contain web content execution.
At the technical level, the flaw stems from improper handling of data within the Contacts interface, which likely involves a failure in input validation or memory management that permits an attacker to manipulate internal state variables or pointers. By crafting a specific HTML page containing malicious scripts and potentially leveraging JavaScript APIs associated with contact access or manipulation, an adversary can trigger this logic error. The consequence is the ability to break out of the restrictive sandbox context that normally limits web applications to their designated permissions and memory spaces. This escape allows code execution at a higher privilege level than intended by the browser's security model, effectively granting the attacker control over processes running with elevated privileges on the Android operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for mobile device users who rely on Chrome as their primary web browsing tool. Successful exploitation could lead to full device compromise, enabling attackers to install persistent malware, exfiltrate sensitive personal data such as contact lists and messages, or use the compromised device as part of a botnet. Since the exploit relies on a remote vector via HTML pages, it is particularly dangerous in scenarios involving phishing campaigns, malicious advertisements, or compromised websites that automatically trigger the payload upon visit. The medium severity classification reflects the balance between the complexity of exploitation and the high impact of sandbox escape, emphasizing the need for immediate attention to prevent widespread abuse by threat actors targeting mobile infrastructure.
To mitigate this risk, users must immediately update Google Chrome on their Android devices to version 157.0.8103.38 or later, where these issues have been resolved through code hardening and improved validation checks within the Contacts module. Security administrators should enforce automatic updates for corporate-managed devices to ensure rapid patch deployment across fleets. Additionally, users are advised to exercise caution when interacting with unknown web content and consider enabling enhanced security features such as Safe Browsing or sandboxing extensions where available. From a defensive posture perspective, this incident underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software to close gaps in the defense-in-depth strategy that protects against remote code execution attacks.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories related to improper input validation and memory corruption vulnerabilities that lead to privilege escalation. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this exploit maps to techniques involving initial access through drive-by compromise and subsequent lateral movement or persistence via sandbox escape mechanisms like T1055 or similar process injection methods depending on the specific execution vector used by the attacker. Understanding these mappings helps security teams prioritize patching efforts and monitor for indicators of exploitation that correspond to known adversary behaviors targeting mobile browsers.