CVE-2026-79000 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Improper input validation in DeviceBoundSessionCredentials in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to bypass web origin policy via crafted network traffic. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as an improper input validation flaw within the DeviceBoundSessionCredentials component of Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a significant deviation from expected secure coding practices regarding credential handling and network traffic processing. This specific weakness allows for the bypassing of web origin policies, which are fundamental security mechanisms designed to restrict how documents or scripts loaded from one origin can interact with resources from another origin. The core technical flaw lies in the insufficient sanitization and validation of input data processed by DeviceBoundSessionCredentials, a subsystem responsible for managing credentials tied to specific devices within the browser environment. When an attacker crafts malicious network traffic that exploits this lack of rigorous validation, they can manipulate how these credentials are interpreted or applied, effectively tricking the browser into treating requests from unauthorized origins as if they were legitimate and authorized by the current context.
From a technical perspective, the exploitation of this vulnerability relies heavily on social engineering tactics to lure users into interacting with crafted network traffic that triggers the flawed validation logic. By leveraging improper input handling, an attacker can construct payloads that cause the browser to misidentify the source or scope of certain requests. This manipulation enables the bypassing of same-origin policy restrictions, which are critical for preventing cross-site scripting attacks and unauthorized data access across different web domains. The severity is classified as low by Chromium security standards because while the mechanism exists, successful exploitation requires user interaction and specific social engineering conditions rather than being a fully automated remote code execution vector. However, even with this classification, the ability to bypass origin policies poses serious risks including potential data exfiltration or unauthorized access to sensitive web application states that should remain isolated from external domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple policy violations as it undermines the trust model inherent in modern web browsers. Web applications rely on the assumption that their scripts cannot read content from other origins without explicit permission, typically granted via Cross-Origin Resource Sharing headers or specific API permissions. When DeviceBoundSessionCredentials fails to properly validate inputs related to these credentials during network operations, an attacker can potentially access session tokens, authentication cookies, or other sensitive data associated with a user's active sessions on different sites. This could lead to account takeover scenarios if the stolen credentials are used in subsequent requests to target services that trust those specific device-bound identifiers. Furthermore, it compromises the integrity of single sign-on implementations and federated identity systems where such credential binding is commonly employed for enhanced security.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, which includes patches addressing this input validation deficiency within DeviceBoundSessionCredentials. Organizations should ensure that automatic updates are enabled for all endpoints running the browser to minimize exposure windows. Additionally, security teams can implement network monitoring solutions capable of detecting anomalous traffic patterns indicative of origin policy bypass attempts, although such detection may be challenging due to the encrypted nature of modern web communications. User awareness training is also crucial in this context since social engineering remains a prerequisite for exploitation; educating users about recognizing suspicious links or requests that might trigger malformed credential handling can reduce the likelihood of successful attacks. Finally, developers integrating browser-based authentication mechanisms should adhere strictly to input validation standards defined by industry frameworks such as CWE-20 Improper Input Validation and consider implementing additional layers of defense like Content Security Policy directives to limit the potential impact even if a bypass occurs.