CVE-2026-17967 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Use after free in Chrome for iOS in Google Chrome on iOS prior to 151.0.7922.72 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a use-after-free condition in the web browser engine of google chrome for ios version prior to 151.0.7922.72 which constitutes a critical heap corruption flaw that could be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted html content. The issue stems from improper memory management where freed memory locations are still being accessed or referenced by subsequent operations within the browser's rendering engine. Such vulnerabilities fall under the common weakness enumeration category of cwe-416 use after free which specifically addresses the scenario where program code continues to reference memory after it has been freed by the system. The chromium security severity classification as low indicates that while the vulnerability exists, its exploitation potential may be limited by various mitigations or attack surface constraints.
The technical execution of this exploit would require a remote attacker to craft a specific html page containing malicious javascript or web content that triggers the problematic code path within chrome's ios implementation. When the browser processes this crafted content, it would cause memory deallocation followed by subsequent access to the freed memory region, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or browser crash conditions. This type of heap corruption vulnerability can be particularly dangerous because it may allow attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process, potentially compromising user data and system integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser instability as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks including persistent malware delivery or credential theft through compromised browsing sessions. Mobile browsers like chrome for ios present unique challenges in exploitation due to the sandboxed nature of mobile applications and additional security mechanisms such as ios application sandboxing, code signing requirements, and memory protection features that may limit the effectiveness of traditional exploitation techniques. However, successful exploitation could result in complete browser compromise and potential access to user sessions, stored credentials, or sensitive data processed within the browser context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of chrome for ios to version 151.0.7922.72 or later which would contain the necessary memory management fixes to prevent the use-after-free condition. Additionally, users should maintain awareness of the risks associated with visiting untrusted websites and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading content from unknown sources. System administrators and security professionals should monitor for any related indicators of compromise that might suggest exploitation attempts and implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls or content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper application lifecycle management in mobile browser environments where attack surfaces are constantly evolving due to the rapid pace of feature development and security improvements in modern web browsers.
This specific vulnerability demonstrates how even seemingly minor memory management flaws can create significant security risks in complex software systems, particularly when dealing with cross-platform applications that must maintain consistent behavior across multiple operating system versions and hardware configurations. The fact that this issue was present in a mobile browser implementation underscores the growing importance of mobile-specific security considerations and the need for comprehensive testing across all supported platforms and versions. Security researchers should continue monitoring for similar patterns in other browser engines and web rendering components, as use-after-free vulnerabilities remain one of the most common classes of memory corruption flaws found in modern software applications.
The exploitation of this vulnerability would likely require specific conditions such as user interaction with malicious content and may be mitigated by existing security features like address space layout randomization, stack canaries, or javascript engine protections that are standard in modern browsers. However, the presence of such vulnerabilities in widely used applications like google chrome for ios demonstrates the critical need for continuous security assessment and rapid response protocols to address memory safety issues that could potentially affect millions of users across multiple platforms and operating system versions.