CVE-2026-17745 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Out of bounds read in Skia in Google Chrome 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
The vulnerability under discussion represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Skia, a graphics library that forms a fundamental component of Google Chrome's rendering architecture. This specific issue affected Chrome versions prior to 151.0.7922.72 and was classified as a medium severity threat by Chromium security teams. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during graphic processing operations, creating an exploitable condition that could be leveraged by malicious actors who have already gained access to the renderer process.
Skia serves as Google's 2D graphics library and is extensively utilized throughout Chrome for rendering web content including HTML elements, CSS styling, and canvas operations. When a browser processes a crafted HTML page containing maliciously constructed graphic elements, the Skia library fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries during rendering operations. This allows an attacker to read memory locations beyond the intended bounds, potentially exposing sensitive data or system information that should remain protected within the sandboxed environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides a potential pathway for sandbox escape attacks. Once an attacker has compromised the renderer process through other means such as a cross-site scripting attack or memory corruption exploit, this out-of-bounds read can be weaponized to bypass Chrome's security model. The attack vector demonstrates how vulnerabilities in foundational libraries like Skia can create cascading security risks that undermine the entire browser sandbox architecture designed to isolate potentially malicious code execution.
According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129: Improper Validation of Array Index, which specifically addresses issues where applications fail to validate array indices before accessing array elements. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as the initial compromise often occurs through JavaScript-based attacks that manipulate rendering operations. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1499.004: Network Denial of Service: Resource Exhaustion, where improper bounds checking can lead to memory access violations that may be exploited for further system compromise.
The security implications suggest that attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to read sensitive memory contents including other processes' data, browser session information, or cryptographic keys stored in memory. This type of attack typically requires a pre-existing compromised renderer process, making it less likely to be exploited directly from the web but still represents a significant risk when combined with other exploitation techniques. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and bounds checking in graphics processing libraries that handle untrusted user content.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment for all affected Chrome versions, as well as enhanced monitoring for suspicious rendering behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Browser vendors should implement additional layers of memory protection and address space layout randomization to make exploitation more difficult. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malicious HTML patterns that could trigger this vulnerability during rendering operations. Regular security assessments of graphics libraries and their integration within browser architectures remain essential for identifying similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in the wild.
The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that patched versions maintain full compatibility with existing web content while addressing the underlying bounds checking deficiencies. Security teams should conduct thorough testing of affected systems after patch deployment to verify that the vulnerability has been properly resolved and that no regressions have been introduced in normal browser functionality. Additionally, developers working with graphics libraries should adopt defensive programming practices including comprehensive input validation, use of safe memory access patterns, and regular security code reviews to prevent similar issues from emerging in future implementations.