CVE-2026-17701 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in ANGLE in Google Chrome on Mac prior to 151.0.7922.72 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 • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical sandbox escape flaw in ANGLE graphics library component within Google Chrome browser on macOS systems. The issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize untrusted data originating from web pages. When a malicious actor successfully compromises the renderer process through initial exploitation vectors, they can craft specially designed HTML content that exploits this validation weakness to break out of the restricted sandbox environment. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 151.0.7922.72 and demonstrates a significant failure in process isolation boundaries that should prevent compromised renderer components from accessing system resources or escalating privileges.
The technical implementation flaw exists within ANGLE's handling of graphics-related input data where the component does not sufficiently validate or sanitize parameters passed from web content to graphics processing functions. This weakness allows an attacker with renderer process access to manipulate graphics API calls in ways that bypass security restrictions imposed by the browser's sandbox architecture. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics processing and operating system security boundaries, making it particularly dangerous as it can enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges beyond what the renderer process should normally possess. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of how graphics libraries can serve as attack vectors for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple browser exploitation as it fundamentally undermines the core security model of modern web browsers. Once an attacker achieves renderer compromise, they gain a foothold that can be leveraged to bypass multiple layers of security including operating system protections, user privilege restrictions, and application sandboxing mechanisms. The attack scenario typically begins with a successful phishing campaign or drive-by download that compromises the renderer process, followed by exploitation of this specific input validation flaw to achieve full system compromise. This vulnerability affects all macOS users running affected Chrome versions and represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where browser-based attacks are common attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of Chrome installations to version 151.0.7922.72 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser hardening policies including automatic update mechanisms and network-level protections against known malicious domains. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to renderer process exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional sandboxing measures beyond the default browser security model. The remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as well as T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it essential for security operations to address both the immediate patching requirements and broader threat hunting activities. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious HTML content that could trigger this vulnerability.