CVE-2026-79067 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Missing authorization in Network in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to bypass system access restrictions 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 within the network subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical failure in privilege management between browser components. This flaw specifically affects the communication channels used by renderer processes, which are designed to operate with restricted permissions to contain potential exploits. In a properly secured architecture, any request initiated by a renderer process that requires access to system-level resources or sensitive network endpoints must undergo strict authorization checks performed by higher-privilege broker services. The absence of these checks allows a compromised renderer process to bypass the intended sandbox boundaries and interact directly with restricted APIs or internal browser functionalities without proper validation.
From a technical perspective, this issue stems from an improper implementation of access control mechanisms within the network stack. When a malicious actor successfully exploits a separate vulnerability in JavaScript code or HTML parsing logic, they gain execution context within the renderer process. Under normal circumstances, any attempt by this compromised context to perform privileged operations would be intercepted and denied by the browser's security policy engine. However, due to the missing authorization check, the network layer accepts these requests as valid, effectively treating untrusted content with the same level of trust as trusted internal components. This bypass allows the attacker to execute commands or retrieve data that should remain inaccessible from a sandboxed environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it facilitates privilege escalation within the browser's process hierarchy. An attacker who has achieved code execution in a renderer process can leverage this flaw to expand their attack surface beyond the confines of the tab they originally compromised. This capability enables actions such as accessing local network resources, exfiltrating sensitive data from protected origins, or manipulating internal browser states that are normally shielded from web content. The severity is classified as medium by Chromium security standards because while it requires an initial foothold in a renderer process, the subsequent impact can lead to broader system compromise if combined with other vulnerabilities or specific user interactions.
This vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, specifically where software does not properly restrict permissions for privileged functions based on security context. Furthermore, it relates to ATT&CK technique T1055, Process Injection, and potentially T1048, Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol, as the attacker uses legitimate browser network channels to conduct unauthorized activities that mimic normal traffic but carry malicious payloads or data theft objectives. The lack of authorization checks undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege that underpins modern web browsers' security models.
Mitigation for this issue primarily involves upgrading Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where the missing authorization logic has been corrected and proper access controls are enforced for renderer-initiated network requests. Organizations should ensure automated update policies are in place to maintain current browser versions across all endpoints. Additionally, implementing strict Content Security Policy headers can help limit the impact of any initial compromise by restricting the types of resources that scripts can load or interact with, thereby reducing the attack surface available to an adversary attempting to exploit renderer-side vulnerabilities.