CVE-2026-17796 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Side-channel information leakage in WebXR in Google Chrome prior to 151.0.7922.72 allowed a remote attacker to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory 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 significant side-channel attack surface within the WebXR implementation of Google Chrome browsers. The flaw exists in the manner how the browser handles memory access patterns during WebXR operations, specifically when processing crafted HTML pages that trigger certain memory read operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to infer sensitive information from process memory through timing analysis and other side-channel techniques that leverage the temporal characteristics of memory access patterns. The vulnerability affects Chrome versions prior to 151.0.7922.72 and demonstrates a critical gap in how browser implementations handle concurrent memory operations within immersive web experiences.
The technical exploitation mechanism relies on the predictable timing variations that occur when accessing different memory regions during WebXR rendering and processing. When a malicious HTML page triggers specific WebXR APIs, the underlying Chrome engine exhibits measurable differences in execution time that correlate with memory layout characteristics. This temporal leakage allows an attacker to reconstruct portions of process memory through statistical analysis of these timing variations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the intersection of web technologies and low-level system operations, making it difficult to detect through conventional security measures.
The operational impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as this side-channel can potentially expose sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential information stored in memory. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform sophisticated reconnaissance activities against users of affected Chrome versions, particularly in scenarios involving privileged web applications or those handling sensitive user data. The medium severity classification reflects the specialized nature of the attack vector and the requirement for a crafted malicious page, but the potential for escalation remains significant.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-203: "Observable Behavioral Vulnerability" and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell and similar memory-based reconnaissance techniques. The flaw essentially provides an information leakage channel that violates the fundamental security principle of process isolation in web browsers. Organizations should immediately update to Chrome version 151.0.7922.72 or later, as this release includes mitigations for the memory access timing variations that enable this side-channel attack. Additionally, implementing network-level monitoring for suspicious WebXR-related traffic patterns and maintaining strict browser update policies can help reduce exposure risk. Security teams should also consider deploying browser security extensions and monitoring for anomalous JavaScript execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.