CVE-2026-17737 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Use after free in Bluetooth in Google Chrome on Android 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: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the Bluetooth implementation within Google Chrome on Android systems, specifically affecting versions prior to 151.0.7922.72. The flaw occurs within the browser's renderer process and creates a pathway for remote attackers who have already compromised this process to potentially escape the sandbox protection mechanisms that isolate browser components from the underlying operating system. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated, creating opportunities for malicious code execution in privileged contexts.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the Bluetooth API handling within Chrome's renderer process, where memory allocated for Bluetooth-related objects is freed but subsequently accessed by malicious JavaScript code embedded in a crafted HTML page. This use-after-free condition allows an attacker to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free errors, and it represents a significant concern for sandbox escape techniques as defined in the ATT&CK framework under T1055.004 for Process Injection and T1070.004 for Indicator Removal on Host.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond typical browser-based attacks as it provides a potential pathway for attackers to break out of Chrome's security boundaries, gaining access to system resources and capabilities normally restricted to the browser environment. This could enable attackers to access sensitive user data, perform unauthorized Bluetooth operations, or potentially escalate privileges to gain broader system access. The medium severity classification reflects the complexity required to exploit this vulnerability, as it requires prior compromise of the renderer process, but the potential consequences remain severe due to the sandbox escape capability.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to 151.0.7922.72 or later, which includes memory management fixes addressing the use-after-free conditions in Bluetooth API implementations. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary Bluetooth APIs when not required. Additionally, regular security assessments of web applications and user education regarding suspicious HTML content can help reduce the attack surface for such vulnerabilities. The fix demonstrates Chromium's ongoing efforts to address memory safety issues that could lead to privilege escalation through sandbox bypass techniques, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and vulnerability remediation as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.