CVE-2026-78915 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Race condition in Enterprise in Google Chrome on on Windows prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed an adjacent attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via crafted network traffic. (Chromium security severity: Low)
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability described represents a race condition within the Enterprise edition of Google Chrome on Windows, specifically affecting versions prior to 152.0.7977.65. A race condition occurs when software behaves incorrectly due to an unexpected or unintended sequence or timing of events during execution. In this context, the flaw likely resides in how Chromium handles concurrent operations related to network traffic processing and memory management within its sandboxed environment. The security severity is classified as Low by the Chromium team, which typically indicates that while the vulnerability exists, exploiting it may require specific conditions or a high degree of precision, making successful exploitation less straightforward than for critical-severity flaws. However, even low-severity vulnerabilities in widely deployed browsers can have significant implications if they allow for sandbox escape.
The core technical flaw involves an inability to properly synchronize access to shared resources during the processing of crafted network traffic. When multiple threads or processes attempt to modify or read a particular state simultaneously without adequate locking mechanisms, undefined behavior can occur. In browser architectures like Chromium, this often manifests as use-after-free errors, heap corruption, or logic flaws that bypass intended isolation boundaries. The attacker leverages specially constructed network packets designed to trigger these timing discrepancies at precise moments during the rendering or parsing of web content. By carefully crafting the payload and controlling the timing of requests, an adjacent attacker can manipulate the browser's internal state in a way that violates the assumptions made by the security sandbox.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe despite its low severity rating because it potentially allows for arbitrary code execution outside the sandbox. The Chrome sandbox is a critical defense-in-depth mechanism designed to limit the damage caused if an attacker successfully exploits a bug within the browser process. By escaping the sandbox, an adversary gains higher privileges on the host system, effectively bypassing operating-level protections such as User Account Control (UAC) and application whitelisting. This escalation of privilege enables the execution of malicious code with broader access to files, registry keys, and other sensitive resources on the victim's machine. An adjacent attacker could be a local user on the same network segment or system who has some level of interaction capability with the target browser instance, potentially through social engineering or compromised web services hosted locally.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-362, which defines concurrent execution using shared resources with improper synchronization. The exploitation technique also maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and sandbox escape, specifically those involving memory corruption or logic flaws that undermine isolation mechanisms. Understanding these mappings helps in categorizing the risk within broader security frameworks and prioritizing remediation efforts based on industry-standard taxonomies rather than just severity scores alone.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where this race condition has been addressed through improved synchronization primitives and stricter validation of state transitions during network processing. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, implementing strict content security policies can help mitigate the risk by restricting the types of scripts and resources that are allowed to execute within browser contexts. Additionally, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions with behavioral monitoring capabilities may detect anomalous processes attempting to escape sandbox boundaries or exhibiting characteristics typical of exploit attempts targeting race conditions in browsers. Regular vulnerability scanning and timely application of security patches remain the most effective defense against such exploitation vectors.