CVE-2026-78990 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Compositing in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free error within the compositing subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory management flaw that compromises the integrity of the browser's rendering engine. This specific defect occurs when the software continues to reference a memory block after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior during the processing of web content. The compositing layer is responsible for assembling various visual elements into final frames displayed on the screen, and any instability in this process can be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt normal operations or execute unauthorized code.
From a technical perspective, use-after-free vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they allow an attacker to manipulate memory states that should have been invalidated. In the context of Chrome's sandboxed environment, where different processes run with restricted privileges to limit the impact of potential exploits, this flaw provides a pathway for privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution within those constrained boundaries. By crafting a specific HTML page containing malicious scripts and stylesheets, an attacker can trigger the premature deallocation of memory objects while references to them are still active in the compositing pipeline. This mismatch between object lifetime and reference validity enables the injection of controlled data into freed memory regions, which can then be interpreted as executable instructions by the browser's engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its remote exploitability. Since the attack vector involves a crafted HTML page, it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or being redirected via phishing techniques. Once triggered, the flaw allows for arbitrary code execution inside the sandbox, which undermines the fundamental security model designed to protect the host system from web-based attacks. Although the Chromium project classified this issue with medium severity, the potential for remote code execution remains significant because it bypasses standard isolation mechanisms that rely on strict memory safety guarantees.
This vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which describes use after free errors resulting from improper handling of deallocated memory pointers. Furthermore, in terms of tactical classification under the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this exploit technique falls under Defense Evasion and Privilege Escalation categories, specifically leveraging memory corruption to bypass sandbox restrictions. The ability to execute code within a restricted environment effectively neutralizes many layers of defense that depend on process isolation, making it essential for organizations to prioritize patching efforts for affected browser versions.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where the memory management logic in the compositing subsystem has been corrected to prevent references to freed objects. Users should ensure automatic updates are enabled to receive security patches promptly as they become available. Additionally, deploying browser isolation technologies and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection by restricting the execution context of untrusted web pages. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise associated with memory corruption exploits in enterprise environments to detect potential attempts to leverage this vulnerability before it is fully patched across all endpoints.