CVE-2026-79207 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Information leak in Passwords in Google Chrome on on iOS prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a local attacker to obtain sensitive information via a crafted file. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as an information leak within the password management subsystem of Google Chrome for iOS, specifically in versions prior to 152.0.7977.65, represents a critical failure in data isolation and access control mechanisms. This flaw allows a local attacker who has achieved code execution or file system access on the device to extract sensitive authentication credentials stored by the browser. The severity is classified as low within the Chromium security framework, likely due to the prerequisite of local access which limits the attack surface compared to remote exploits, but the impact remains significant given the high value of stolen passwords for subsequent account takeover attacks.
The technical root cause lies in improper handling or storage permissions associated with how Chrome manages saved credentials on the iOS operating system. In many mobile environments, applications are expected to adhere strictly to sandboxing principles where data is encrypted and accessible only by the specific application process using unique keys tied to the device's hardware security module or keychain access groups. The flaw suggests that either the encryption keys were not properly bound to the app instance, the storage location was inadvertently exposed through file system permissions, or an API misuse allowed unauthorized processes to read plaintext or decryptable credential data without proper authentication checks. This could involve improper use of iOS Keychain APIs where accessibility attributes such as kSecAttrAccessibleAfterFirstUnlock might have been misconfigured or bypassed via a crafted file that triggers the leak during parsing or storage operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables local privilege escalation in terms of data confidentiality rather than system control. An attacker with physical access to the device or malware already present on the endpoint can craft specific files designed to interact with Chrome's password handling routines. Upon execution or interaction, these crafted inputs exploit the logic error to dump stored usernames and passwords into a readable format. This compromises user privacy and security posture significantly, as users often reuse credentials across multiple services including banking, email, and corporate portals. The breach of confidentiality undermines trust in the browser’s ability to serve as a secure vault for sensitive identity information.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories such as CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor and potentially CWE-359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor if the data includes personally identifiable information linked to accounts. In terms of MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior corresponds to T1552.004: Unsecured Credentials in a Local Database or T1556: Modified Authentication Process depending on whether the exploit modifies how credentials are stored or simply reads them from an insecure location. It also relates to lateral movement capabilities if the stolen credentials allow access to other systems within a network environment, falling under T1078: Valid Accounts.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve upgrading Google Chrome for iOS to version 152.0.7977.65 or later where these logic flaws have been addressed by developers through stricter enforcement of sandboxing rules and improved encryption key management practices. Users should ensure that their mobile operating systems are up to date, as OS-level security patches often complement application-specific fixes by enhancing overall device integrity checks. Additionally, enabling two-factor authentication on all critical accounts provides a necessary layer of defense-in-depth, ensuring that even if credentials are exfiltrated via this vulnerability, unauthorized access remains blocked without the second factor. Security awareness training should also emphasize avoiding the storage of highly sensitive passwords in browsers when possible, preferring dedicated password managers with stronger isolation guarantees for high-value assets.