CVE-2026-79140 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Views in Google Chrome on on Mac prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox 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 a use-after-free flaw within Google Chrome's Views component on Mac operating systems prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory management error that undermines the browser's sandboxing mechanisms. This type of defect occurs when an application continues to reference a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this specific instance, the flaw resides in how Chrome handles object lifecycles within its user interface rendering engine, where references to DOM elements or view objects are not properly invalidated upon deallocation. This oversight allows an attacker who crafts a specialized HTML page containing JavaScript code and potentially embedded media or script handlers to trigger the premature release of memory while retaining active pointers to that same region.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which classifies use-after-free errors as a significant category of software weaknesses related to improper resource management. The exploitation vector involves an attacker hosting a malicious webpage designed to manipulate the browser's rendering pipeline into accessing freed memory regions. By carefully crafting the sequence of events that lead to object destruction and subsequent access, the attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the compromised process. Although Chrome employs sandboxing to restrict the privileges of renderer processes, sophisticated exploitation techniques such as heap spraying or specific gadget chains can bypass these protections, allowing the malicious payload to escape the restricted environment and execute commands with higher system privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for users who browse untrusted websites or are targeted by drive-by download attacks. Successful exploitation enables a remote attacker to run arbitrary code on the victim's machine, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, installation of persistent malware, or lateral movement within a network if the compromised host serves as an entry point. The severity is rated as medium in Chromium’s internal classification due to the complexity required for reliable exploitation and the existence of mitigating factors like DEP and ASLR, yet the potential consequences remain high because they directly affect user confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
In terms of threat modeling, this vulnerability maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving initial access through browser exploits and execution via native application components. Attackers often leverage such flaws in conjunction with other vulnerabilities or social engineering tactics to increase their success rate. The presence of a crafted HTML page indicates that the attack relies on user interaction, typically limited to visiting a malicious site, which places this within the realm of remote code execution without requiring additional authentication or physical access.
To mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, organizations and individual users must ensure that Google Chrome is updated to version 152.0.7977.65 or later immediately upon availability. Patch management processes should be prioritized for web browsers given their frequent exposure to internet-based threats. Additionally, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions can help identify anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected process spawns from browser renderer processes. Enabling sandboxing features where available and restricting script execution in untrusted zones further reduces the attack surface. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on memory management practices within critical components like Views are essential for preventing similar defects in future software releases.