CVE-2026-79039 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Mobile in Google Chrome on on iOS prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via crafted network traffic. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free condition within the mobile implementation of Google Chrome on iOS prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory management flaw that compromises the integrity and confidentiality of user data. This specific defect occurs when the browser's rendering engine or associated components fail to properly manage the lifecycle of allocated memory objects, specifically by accessing pointers after they have been freed. In complex web environments handled by Chrome, such as those involving JavaScript execution, DOM manipulation, or multimedia processing, improper handling of object references can lead to a state where the application attempts to read from or write to memory that has already been released back to the system allocator. This scenario creates an opportunity for remote code execution because an attacker who controls the network traffic can craft specific payloads designed to exploit this race condition or logical error in memory management.
From a technical perspective, use-after-free vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they allow attackers to manipulate heap structures and potentially achieve arbitrary read-write primitives. By carefully crafting malicious web content or network packets that trigger the premature deallocation of an object while it is still referenced elsewhere in the application's runtime environment, an attacker can overwrite freed memory with controlled data. This manipulation enables the execution of arbitrary code outside the browser sandbox, effectively bypassing Chrome’s security boundaries which are designed to isolate untrusted web content from the underlying operating system and user files. The severity rating of High by Chromium reflects the significant risk posed by this flaw, as it directly undermines the core isolation mechanisms that protect users from malicious websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, allowing a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the victim's device with the privileges of the Chrome process. This can lead to full system compromise depending on the sandbox configuration and iOS security features such as App Sandbox and Code Signing restrictions. An attacker could install malware, exfiltrate sensitive information including cookies, passwords, and browsing history, or use the compromised browser instance as a pivot point for further attacks within the local network. The ability to execute code outside the sandbox means that traditional web-based defenses are rendered ineffective against this specific exploit vector, requiring immediate attention from security teams and end-users alike.
To mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, it is imperative to update Google Chrome on iOS devices to version 152.0.7977.65 or later as soon as possible. This patch includes fixes for the memory management logic that prevents the use-after-free condition from being triggered by crafted network traffic. In addition to updating software, users should exercise caution when visiting untrusted websites and avoid clicking on suspicious links received via email or messaging applications. For enterprise environments, implementing strict content security policies and ensuring that browser configurations enforce sandboxing can provide additional layers of defense against similar memory corruption exploits. Monitoring for unusual behavior in mobile devices and keeping all application dependencies up to date are essential practices in maintaining a robust security posture against such high-severity vulnerabilities.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-416, which describes use after free errors where software continues to use a pointer after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential code execution. Furthermore, the exploitation technique relates to ATT&CK tactic Tactic TA0002 Execution, specifically techniques involving command or script interpretation through browser-based vectors such as those found in T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter via web browsers. Understanding these mappings helps security professionals categorize the threat accurately within broader frameworks for vulnerability management and incident response planning.