CVE-2026-19161 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/07/2026
Uninitialized Use in Skia in Google Chrome prior to 151.0.7922.109 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to leak cross-origin data via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical uninitialized memory access flaw within the Skia graphics library component that is integral to Google Chrome's rendering engine. The issue manifests as an uninitialized use condition where memory locations are accessed without proper initialization, creating potential pathways for information disclosure. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 151.0.7922.109 and operates under the Chromium security severity classification of High, indicating significant risk to user privacy and system security.
The technical exploitation occurs through a crafted HTML page that leverages the uninitialized memory access within Skia's graphics processing routines. When a renderer process is compromised, an attacker can manipulate memory states to extract cross-origin data that should remain isolated between different web domains. This represents a privilege escalation scenario where local code execution within the renderer sandbox can be leveraged to access sensitive information from other origins. The flaw falls under CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, which is classified as a weakness in software design that directly enables information leakage vulnerabilities.
The operational impact extends beyond simple data leakage, as this vulnerability creates potential for cross-origin information disclosure attacks that can compromise user privacy and web application security. Attackers can exploit this to access cookies, local storage data, or other sensitive information from different origins without proper authorization. The renderer process compromise scenario means that even if the main browser sandbox remains intact, the uninitialized memory access allows for lateral movement and data extraction across domain boundaries. This vulnerability particularly affects multi-origin web applications where isolation is critical for maintaining user security.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate patching and defensive programming practices. Organizations should prioritize updating Chrome installations to version 151.0.7922.109 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this uninitialized memory access issue. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous data exfiltration patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix typically involves proper initialization of memory variables within Skia's graphics processing code paths, ensuring that all allocated memory regions are properly initialized before use. Additionally, browser hardening measures such as enabling strict Content Security Policies and implementing robust sandboxing controls can provide additional protection layers against potential exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it exploits JavaScript rendering capabilities within the browser to manipulate memory states through crafted HTML content. The attack vector demonstrates how seemingly benign web content can be weaponized to exploit underlying graphics library vulnerabilities. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to unusual renderer process behavior and implement proactive threat hunting for signs of information leakage activities in their environments.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of memory safety in graphics libraries that are widely integrated into browser engines. Skia's widespread use across multiple platforms makes this a particularly concerning flaw as it affects numerous systems that depend on Chrome's rendering capabilities. The uninitialized use pattern represents a common class of vulnerabilities that can be addressed through rigorous code review processes and automated static analysis tools designed to detect memory safety issues in graphics processing code. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls that limit the execution of potentially malicious HTML content within their environments.
From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability could impact organizations subject to data protection regulations where unauthorized cross-origin data access might constitute privacy violations. The security implications extend to web application developers who must ensure their applications properly handle browser rendering anomalies and potential exploitation vectors. Regular security assessments should include evaluation of graphics library components for uninitialized memory access vulnerabilities, particularly in systems where browser-based attacks are a primary concern. The remediation process should involve comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in rendering functionality while effectively addressing the memory access vulnerability.