CVE-2026-79209 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Type confusion in Animation in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code inside 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 type confusion issue within the Animation subsystem of Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory safety flaw that undermines the browser's sandboxing mechanisms. Type confusions occur when an application incorrectly interprets the data type of a variable or object, leading to operations being performed on incompatible data structures. In this specific instance, the error resides in how Chrome handles animation objects during their lifecycle management. When a crafted HTML page triggers complex animations, the JavaScript engine may assign incorrect types to internal C++ objects representing these animations. This misalignment allows an attacker-controlled input to be processed as if it were a different object type with distinct memory layouts and method signatures.
From a technical perspective, this flaw exploits the gap between high-level scripting logic and low-level native code execution. The Chromium browser relies heavily on V8 for JavaScript interpretation while using C++ for rendering and system interaction. When the animation engine processes user-defined properties or keyframes from a malicious webpage, it fails to validate that the underlying memory structure matches the expected type before performing operations such as method calls or property access. This lack of strict type checking enables an attacker to manipulate pointers within the heap, potentially achieving arbitrary read-write primitives. By carefully crafting the HTML and JavaScript payload, an adversary can overwrite critical function pointers or vtables associated with animation objects, thereby redirecting code execution flow away from intended paths.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution inside the browser sandbox. Although Chrome employs a multi-process architecture where each tab runs in a restricted environment, successful exploitation allows an attacker to escape these constraints or escalate privileges within the process space. Once arbitrary code execution is achieved, the attacker can bypass security controls such as Site Isolation and read sensitive data from other tabs, install malware, or use the compromised browser instance as a pivot point for further network attacks. The Chromium project has classified this issue with a medium severity rating, reflecting its complexity to exploit reliably but acknowledging the high impact if successful exploitation occurs against unpatched systems.
This vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-843, which describes access of incorrect type or misinterpretation of data as another type. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1205.008, specifically Signed Script Binary Padding, although more broadly it falls under the broader umbrella of memory corruption exploits often categorized under T1204. The exploitation typically involves crafting a malicious webpage that triggers specific animation states rapidly or with precise timing to trigger the type confusion during garbage collection or layout updates. Defenders and users must prioritize immediate patching by updating Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, which includes fixes for this memory safety issue. Additionally, enabling automatic update checks ensures that future patches are applied promptly without manual intervention. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to unusual network traffic originating from browser processes and enforce strict content security policies to mitigate the risk of executing untrusted scripts in production environments.