CVE-2026-79044 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Missing authorization in WebAppInstalls in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to obtain sensitive information 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 missing authorization in WebAppInstalls within Google Chrome for Android prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a significant flaw in the browser's access control mechanisms regarding Progressive Web App installations and related state management. This issue stems from an insufficient verification of user privileges when handling requests associated with web application installation processes. Specifically, the component responsible for managing these installs failed to properly enforce authorization checks before processing sensitive operations or exposing internal states that should be restricted to authenticated contexts. The severity is classified as Medium by Chromium security standards, indicating a balance between exploitability and potential impact on system confidentiality and integrity.
From a technical perspective, this flaw allows an attacker who has already achieved code execution within the renderer process of Chrome to escalate their privileges or access data outside their intended sandbox boundaries. Renderer processes in modern browsers are designed with strict isolation principles to prevent malicious content from accessing sensitive user data or other browser components. However, by leveraging crafted HTML pages that trigger specific WebAppInstall APIs without proper authorization validation, an attacker can bypass these isolation barriers. The attack vector relies on the renderer process being compromised, which typically occurs through a separate vulnerability such as a remote code execution flaw in JavaScript engines or parsing libraries. Once inside the renderer, the lack of strict access control for web app installation features enables the retrieval of sensitive information that should remain protected from untrusted contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on the potential exposure of private user data and browser state to malicious actors. An attacker exploiting this flaw could obtain session tokens, cookies, or other identifiers linked to installed web applications, potentially leading to account takeover or further lateral movement within a victim's digital environment. While the initial entry point requires compromising the renderer process—a condition that itself often depends on additional vulnerabilities—the existence of this authorization bypass lowers the barrier for post-exploitation activities. It effectively transforms a contained sandbox escape into a more potent data exfiltration vector, undermining the trust model that browsers rely upon to protect user privacy and security against malicious websites.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Assignment, as it involves failing to enforce appropriate access controls for specific functions within the application logic. Furthermore, in terms of offensive cybersecurity frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, this behavior relates to techniques involving privilege escalation and data exfiltration from compromised processes. The exploitation path mirrors patterns seen in other browser-based attacks where sandboxed environments are breached due to misconfigured permissions or missing validation steps in API calls that interact with higher-privilege components of the browser architecture.
To mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability, users must ensure their Google Chrome for Android application is updated to version 152.0.7977.65 or later. This update includes patches that enforce stricter authorization checks during web app installation processes, thereby preventing unauthorized access from compromised renderer contexts. Organizations should implement automated patch management systems to keep browser versions current and deploy content security policies where applicable to limit the execution of untrusted scripts. Additionally, monitoring for unusual activity in renderer process memory usage or network connections can help detect potential exploitation attempts before significant data loss occurs. Regular security audits focusing on access control implementations in web-facing applications remain critical to preventing similar authorization bypasses in future software versions.