CVE-2026-78978 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Out of bounds read in ANGLE in Google Chrome on on Windows prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as an out-of-bounds read within the ANGLE graphics library in Google Chrome represents a significant memory safety flaw that compromises the integrity of the browser's execution environment on Windows systems prior to version 152.0.7977.65. ANGLE, which stands for Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine, serves as a critical translation layer between web applications and underlying hardware graphics APIs such as DirectX or OpenGL. By converting WebGL commands into native API calls, it enables high-performance rendering of complex visual content directly within the browser sandbox. The specific flaw involves an improper boundary check during memory access operations, allowing the application to read data from locations outside the allocated buffer limits. This type of error is classified under CWE-125, which denotes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities where a program reads past the end of a valid data structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure due to the specific context in which it occurs within the browser's architecture. While traditional out-of-bounds reads are often leveraged for cross-site scripting or sensitive data exfiltration, the Chromium security team has assessed this particular instance as having a medium severity rating with potential implications for arbitrary code execution outside the sandbox. This assessment suggests that an attacker could potentially manipulate memory states in a way that facilitates control flow hijacking or heap spraying techniques to bypass isolation mechanisms. The attack vector is remote and requires user interaction, specifically through visiting a crafted HTML page designed to trigger the malformed graphics commands within ANGLE. Such pages would typically contain malicious WebGL shaders or geometry data engineered to exploit the boundary check failure during rendering operations.
From a threat intelligence perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for client execution, and potentially relates to sandbox escape techniques if the memory corruption leads to privilege escalation beyond the browser's restricted context. The ability to execute code outside the sandbox is particularly dangerous as it circumvents one of the primary defense-in-depth layers provided by modern browsers. Once an attacker gains this level of access, they can interact with local system resources, install persistent malware, or pivot further into a networked environment without triggering standard browser security alerts. The medium severity rating reflects the complexity required to reliably exploit the flaw for code execution rather than just information leakage, but it remains a critical risk given the widespread usage of Chrome and its graphics processing capabilities in enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate patching to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, which includes corrected boundary checks within the ANGLE library codebase. Organizations should ensure that automatic update policies are enabled for all endpoints running affected versions of Chrome to minimize the window of exposure. For environments where automatic updates cannot be deployed immediately, network-level controls such as web filtering proxies can be configured to block access to known malicious domains hosting exploit kits or crafted HTML payloads designed to trigger this specific vulnerability. Additionally, enabling sandboxing features and restricting JavaScript execution on untrusted sites can reduce the attack surface available to adversaries attempting to leverage memory corruption flaws for lateral movement or persistent access.