CVE-2026-15765 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/15/2026
Use after free in Ozone in Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.125 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific UI gestures to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Critical)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the Ozone graphics subsystem of Google Chrome, specifically affecting versions prior to 150.0.7871.125. The flaw resides within the handling of graphics rendering operations where freed memory objects are still being referenced, creating a potential avenue for heap corruption attacks. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-416 as a use-after-free error, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate or corrupt the heap state.
The attack scenario requires a remote attacker to convince a user to interact with a specially crafted HTML page that triggers specific UI gestures within the browser environment. This interaction pattern is crucial because it leverages the Ozone component's graphics processing pipeline where the memory management error occurs during the handling of graphical user interface elements. The Chromium security severity rating of Critical indicates the high potential for exploitation and the serious nature of the underlying heap corruption that could result from this vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides a potential pathway for arbitrary code execution within the browser context. When an attacker successfully exploits this use-after-free condition, they can manipulate the heap contents to redirect program execution flow or inject malicious code. This type of vulnerability falls under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as it could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands through browser-based exploitation. The Ozone subsystem's role in handling cross-platform graphics operations makes this particularly dangerous because it interfaces with multiple operating system components that may not properly validate memory access patterns.
The exploitation process typically involves crafting HTML content that triggers specific rendering behaviors within the Ozone component, forcing the browser to allocate and subsequently free memory objects while maintaining references to them. This creates a window where attacker-controlled data can be written to previously freed memory locations, potentially allowing for stack or heap spraying techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates how graphics processing components in modern browsers present unique attack surfaces due to their complex memory management requirements and interaction with low-level system resources.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate browser updates to versions 150.0.7871.125 or later where the use-after-free condition has been addressed through proper memory management fixes. Additionally, organizations should implement network-based protections such as content security policies that limit the execution of potentially malicious scripts and restrict access to external resources that could deliver exploit payloads. Browser hardening measures including sandboxing enhancements and heap protection mechanisms like address space layout randomization can further reduce the exploitation potential. The fix likely involves implementing proper reference counting or smart pointer mechanisms within the Ozone graphics subsystem to ensure memory objects are not accessed after deallocation, addressing the fundamental CWE-416 vulnerability through defensive programming practices that prevent the reuse of freed memory regions.