CVE-2026-79050 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Incorrect authorization in Network in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to bypass system access restrictions via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as an incorrect authorization issue within the network subsystem of Google Chrome, specifically affecting versions prior to 152.0.7977.65, represents a significant breach in access control mechanisms designed to protect user data and system integrity. This flaw allows a remote attacker to circumvent standard security boundaries by leveraging a specially crafted HTML page hosted on a malicious website or served via an injected script. The core technical deficiency lies in the browser's handling of network requests where authorization checks are either skipped, improperly validated, or applied inconsistently across different request types and contexts. When a user visits a compromised webpage, the attacker can construct HTTP requests that exploit these gaps, effectively tricking the browser into treating unauthenticated or unauthorized actions as legitimate operations. This bypass is particularly dangerous because it operates at the network layer, where browsers typically enforce strict same-origin policies to prevent cross-site scripting and data exfiltration attacks. By manipulating how credentials, cookies, or authentication tokens are attached to outgoing requests, the attacker can access resources that should remain restricted to authenticated users only.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which describes Improper Access Control, indicating that the software does not properly restrict permissions for actors who have been granted certain privileges but lack authorization for specific actions or data. The attack vector is classified under Remote Code Execution principles in practice, although it primarily facilitates unauthorized access rather than direct code execution on the host machine. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior corresponds to techniques involving Taint and Probe, specifically leveraging browser-based attacks to gather information about internal network resources or user sessions without triggering standard security alerts. The medium severity rating assigned by Chromium reflects the potential for data theft and session hijacking rather than immediate system compromise, yet it remains a critical risk due to the widespread use of Chrome as a primary web browsing platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, particularly in enterprise environments where employees access sensitive internal applications through their browsers. An attacker could exploit this flaw to perform actions on behalf of the victim, such as accessing private APIs, modifying user profiles, or retrieving confidential documents stored behind authentication walls that rely solely on browser-side checks. Since modern web applications often use single sign-on mechanisms and persistent session tokens, bypassing these controls can lead to prolonged unauthorized access if the attacker maintains a foothold in the user's browsing context. Furthermore, because the attack is initiated via a simple HTML page, it requires no additional software installation or complex exploitation steps beyond social engineering tactics like phishing links that direct users to malicious sites.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate patching and long-term architectural improvements. The primary remediation step is to update Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where the authorization logic in the network stack has been corrected to enforce strict validation of all outgoing requests against user permissions. For organizations unable to immediately patch endpoints, implementing a Web Application Firewall with rules that detect anomalous request patterns originating from browser contexts can provide an additional layer of defense. Additionally, enforcing Content Security Policy headers and disabling unnecessary third-party cookies can reduce the attack surface available to such exploits. Developers should also review their application's authentication flows to ensure that critical operations are validated server-side rather than relying exclusively on client-side security measures, thereby ensuring that even if a browser vulnerability is exploited, the backend services remain protected against unauthorized actions.