CVE-2026-79183 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Accessibility in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via UI Interaction. (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 Accessibility component of Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory management flaw that undermines the browser's sandboxing mechanisms. This specific class of vulnerabilities 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 instance, the defect resides in how Chrome handles accessibility objects, which are essential for assistive technologies like screen readers but also present a large attack surface due to their complex interaction with web content and user interface elements. The severity of this issue is classified as High within the Chromium security framework, indicating that successful exploitation could lead to significant compromise of the target system's integrity and confidentiality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution outside the browser sandbox, which is a severe escalation of privilege in modern web browsing contexts. Typically, browsers isolate rendering processes from the operating system kernel through sandboxes to limit the damage caused by exploits. However, because accessibility features often require deeper integration with the operating system to provide real-time feedback and interaction capabilities, they operate under different security constraints. An attacker leveraging social engineering can trick a user into interacting with a specially crafted webpage or application that triggers the use-after-free condition. Through this UI interaction, the malicious code gains access to freed memory regions, potentially overwriting data structures such as function pointers or virtual table entries. This manipulation allows the execution of arbitrary commands on the host system, effectively bypassing the protective boundaries intended by the sandbox architecture and granting the attacker full control over the compromised environment.
From a technical classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) ID 416, which describes Use After Free errors. These flaws are particularly dangerous because they rely on race conditions or logical errors in memory lifecycle management that can be difficult to detect through static analysis alone. Furthermore, the exploitation vector relates directly to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203, specifically the sub-technique of Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers use social engineering and user interaction to trigger malicious code execution on a victim's device. The reliance on UI interaction highlights the importance of human factors in security, as even robust technical controls can be circumvented if users are deceived into performing specific actions that activate the underlying software flaw.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching by updating Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where these memory management issues have been addressed through rigorous code reviews and automated fuzzing tests. Organizations should enforce strict update policies across all endpoints to ensure that the latest security patches are applied promptly. Additionally, users can reduce their exposure by disabling unnecessary accessibility features if they do not require them for daily operations, thereby shrinking the attack surface. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise associated with browser-based exploits and employ application whitelisting or sandboxing solutions at the endpoint level to provide an additional layer of defense against arbitrary code execution attempts. Continuous education on social engineering tactics remains crucial, as user vigilance is often the final barrier preventing successful exploitation of such vulnerabilities.