CVE-2026-17771 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Uninitialized Use in Skia in Google Chrome prior to 151.0.7922.72 allowed a remote attacker to leak cross-origin data via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents an uninitialized memory access issue within the Skia graphics library component that is integrated into Google Chrome browser. The flaw exists in the rendering engine's handling of graphical operations where certain variables or memory locations are not properly initialized before being used in cross-origin data leakage scenarios. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, which directly relates to improper memory management practices in software development.
The technical exploitation occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that triggers specific rendering operations within Chrome's Skia graphics subsystem. During these operations, the uninitialized variables contain residual data from previous memory allocations, which can inadvertently reveal information about other web pages or origins that have previously accessed the same memory locations. This cross-origin data leakage happens because the browser's security boundaries are bypassed through improper memory state handling during rendering processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it represents a fundamental breakdown in browser sandboxing mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gather sensitive information from other domains or applications running within the same browser instance, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or exposure of private user data. The Medium severity classification indicates that while the vulnerability requires specific conditions for exploitation, it provides attackers with sufficient access to compromise user privacy and security.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of memory initialization practices in browser security architectures and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1557: Adversary-in-the-Middle, where attackers exploit weaknesses in application memory management to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The issue highlights the challenges in maintaining secure memory handling across complex software ecosystems like web browsers, which must manage thousands of different rendering operations while maintaining strict security boundaries.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of Chrome versions prior to 151.0.7922.72, implementing additional runtime checks for uninitialized memory access patterns, and strengthening the browser's memory management subsystems. Organizations should also consider deploying network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous data leakage patterns and ensure proper input validation in all rendering components. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of comprehensive security testing including memory safety verification, particularly in graphics libraries that handle untrusted content from multiple origins.