CVE-2026-17991
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in AI 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: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical sandbox escape vector that emerged from inadequate input validation mechanisms within Google Chrome's artificial intelligence processing components. The flaw existed in versions prior to 151.0.7922.72 and specifically targeted the renderer process where untrusted HTML content could be manipulated to bypass security boundaries. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data that flows through AI inference engines, creating a pathway for malicious actors who have already compromised the renderer process to escalate their privileges. According to chromium security severity classification, this issue was rated as low severity but the implications for system compromise are significant given the potential for sandbox escape.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of HTML content that triggers AI processing within the browser context. When untrusted input passes through Chrome's AI inference pipeline without proper validation, it can contain crafted payloads designed to exploit memory corruption or privilege escalation mechanisms. The flaw specifically manifests when the renderer process handles AI-related operations on maliciously constructed web pages, where the input validation fails to properly sanitize data that should be considered untrusted. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation as classified under CWE-20, which encompasses weaknesses related to improper handling of unvalidated input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally undermines the security model of modern browsers. Once an attacker has compromised the renderer process through other means, they can leverage this vulnerability to break out of the sandboxed environment and potentially gain access to system resources or other browser processes. The attack surface becomes particularly dangerous when considering that renderer compromises often occur through phishing attacks or malicious websites where users might unknowingly interact with harmful content. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it exploits JavaScript execution contexts within AI processing features.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version updates to Chrome 151.0.7922.72 or later where the input validation has been strengthened. Organizations should also implement additional network-level protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious HTML patterns. Browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary AI features for untrusted sites, implementing strict Content Security Policies, and using sandboxing configurations that limit process capabilities provide additional layers of defense. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive input validation across all browser components, particularly those handling artificial intelligence workloads where the complexity of processing creates additional attack surfaces. Regular security assessments should include testing for similar issues in AI-enabled browser features to prevent future exploitation opportunities.