CVE-2026-16805 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/24/2026
Use after free in Blink in Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.186 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Blink rendering engine of Google Chrome, affecting versions prior to 150.0.7871.186. The flaw occurs when the browser processes crafted HTML content that triggers improper memory management during object lifecycle handling. Specifically, the vulnerability arises from a scenario where a JavaScript object reference is accessed after the underlying memory has been freed and potentially reallocated, creating a window for malicious code execution within the sandboxed environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption patterns that align with common software security weaknesses classified under CWE-416, which deals with use-after-free conditions. When Chrome processes malicious HTML content containing specific JavaScript constructs or DOM manipulations, the Blink engine fails to properly manage reference counts or object lifecycles, leading to situations where freed memory locations are accessed by subsequent operations. This particular weakness enables attackers to manipulate heap memory layout and potentially control execution flow through carefully crafted input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote code execution within Chrome's sandboxed environment, representing a significant escalation from typical browser-based attacks. The Chromium security severity rating of High reflects the ease with which an attacker can leverage this flaw through a web page without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege that the sandbox architecture is designed to enforce, effectively allowing attackers to bypass sandbox protections and potentially gain access to system resources or escalate privileges.
Attackers exploit this vulnerability by crafting HTML pages containing malicious JavaScript that triggers the specific memory management path leading to the use-after-free condition. The attack vector typically involves manipulating DOM objects in ways that cause premature deallocation followed by subsequent access attempts, creating opportunities for heap spraying or code injection techniques. This approach fits within the ATT&CK framework under technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts, as the execution occurs through legitimate browser processes but leverages memory corruption to achieve unauthorized code execution.
Mitigation strategies focus on immediate patching of Chrome versions to 150.0.7871.186 or later, which includes memory management fixes and improved reference counting mechanisms within Blink. Additionally, organizations should implement network-level protections such as content security policies that restrict script execution from untrusted domains, browser hardening configurations that disable unnecessary JavaScript features, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation of similar memory corruption vulnerabilities. The fix typically involves implementing proper object lifecycle management, adding additional memory validation checks, and strengthening the garbage collection mechanisms within the rendering engine to prevent premature deallocation scenarios that could lead to use-after-free conditions.