CVE-2026-79224 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Chromecast in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Critical)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free condition within Google Chrome prior to version 152.0.7977.65 represents a critical memory safety flaw that undermines the browser's core isolation mechanisms. This specific defect occurs in the context of Chromecast functionality, where objects are allocated on the heap and subsequently freed while still being referenced by other parts of the application logic. When an attacker crafts a malicious HTML page designed to trigger this race condition or improper state management, they can manipulate the memory layout such that the freed memory is reallocated for attacker-controlled data rather than safe system structures. This manipulation allows the compromised renderer process to write arbitrary values into memory locations it should not access, effectively bypassing the sandbox boundaries intended to restrict code execution privileges.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which describes use after free errors resulting from improper invalidation of dangling pointers or references. The operational impact is severe because Chrome's renderer processes operate within a strict security sandbox designed to prevent arbitrary code execution on the host system. By exploiting this memory corruption flaw, an attacker can achieve control over program flow and execute shellcode outside the restricted environment. This escalation allows for full compromise of the user session, potentially leading to data exfiltration, installation of persistent malware, or further lateral movement within a networked environment if additional vulnerabilities are chained with this initial access vector.
In terms of threat modeling and adversary behavior, this exploitation technique corresponds to ATT&CK tactic T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter under the Execution category, specifically leveraging browser-based vectors such as those found in T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution. The attack relies on social engineering or drive-by download tactics where a user visits a malicious website that triggers the vulnerability through crafted HTML content. Once the renderer process is compromised via this memory corruption, the attacker gains the ability to spawn processes and execute commands with the privileges of the current user, bypassing traditional endpoint protection measures that rely on sandbox integrity assumptions.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve immediate patching by upgrading Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, which includes fixes for this memory management issue within the Chromecast component. Organizations should enforce automated update policies to ensure all endpoints are running supported versions of the browser. Additionally, implementing strict content security policies and disabling unnecessary plugins or features like Chromecast integration in enterprise environments can reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise associated with renderer process escapes and memory corruption exploits, utilizing endpoint detection and response tools that analyze behavioral anomalies indicative of sandbox breakout attempts.