CVE-2026-16424 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2026
Use after free in GPU in Google Chrome on Android prior to 150.0.7871.182 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to potentially perform a sandbox escape via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the graphics processing unit implementation within Google Chrome for Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 150.0.7871.182. The flaw occurs within the GPU subsystem where improper memory management allows for a scenario where freed memory locations can be accessed and potentially reused by malicious code. This particular vulnerability is classified as high severity by Chromium security standards due to its potential for enabling sandbox escape techniques.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory lifecycle management within the GPU rendering pipeline. When Chrome processes graphics-intensive content through the GPU, specific objects allocated in memory may be freed prematurely while still being referenced or accessed by subsequent operations. Attackers who have already compromised the renderer process can exploit this condition by crafting malicious HTML pages that trigger specific GPU operations leading to the use of freed memory locations. This creates an opportunity for arbitrary code execution within the browser's memory space, potentially allowing attackers to bypass the sandbox protections that normally isolate renderer processes from the underlying operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to circumvent fundamental security boundaries established by Chrome's architecture. The sandbox escape capability means that an attacker who has already gained access to the renderer process can potentially elevate privileges to gain access to system resources, file systems, or other processes running on the device. This represents a significant threat vector for mobile devices where Chrome serves as a primary interface for web browsing and application interaction. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only a compromised renderer process, which can be achieved through various initial attack vectors including phishing, malicious advertisements, or drive-by downloads.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version updates to Chrome 150.0.7871.182 or later, which contain patches addressing the memory management issues in the GPU subsystem. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as content security policies and web application firewalls to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about phishing risks and encouraged to maintain updated software versions. From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 Use After Free and falls under ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1078 Valid Accounts in its exploitation chain. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of memory safety in graphics processing components where improper resource management can lead to complete system compromise through sandbox escape mechanisms.