CVE-2026-79225 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Incorrect authorization in Browser in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to bypass system access restrictions via UI Interaction. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as an incorrect authorization flaw within the browser component of Google Chrome on Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 152.0.7977.65, represents a significant deviation from expected access control mechanisms. This issue stems from a logic error in how the application validates user permissions during specific UI interactions. Rather than failing securely when authorization checks are ambiguous or incomplete, the browser proceeds with actions that should be restricted to privileged contexts or require explicit user consent under stricter conditions. The Chromium project has classified this security severity as Low, indicating that while the flaw is valid and exploitable, it likely requires significant user interaction or specific contextual conditions to achieve a meaningful impact, rather than allowing for silent, automated exploitation by remote attackers without any engagement from the victim.
The technical nature of this vulnerability centers on improper authorization checks within the browser's interface layer. In secure software design, every action that modifies state or accesses sensitive resources must be preceded by rigorous verification of the caller's identity and privileges. Here, the flaw allows a scenario where an attacker can manipulate the sequence of UI events to trick the application into executing commands without proper validation. This bypasses system access restrictions that are designed to prevent unauthorized modifications or data exposure. The root cause is typically found in race conditions, missing permission checks before rendering certain elements, or incorrect state management during navigation and interaction flows within the Android-specific implementation of Chrome's engine.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables a remote attacker leveraging social engineering techniques to bypass system access restrictions via UI interaction. This means that while the code flaw exists on the device, its exploitation relies heavily on deceiving the user into performing specific actions or clicking through misleading interfaces crafted by the adversary. The attacker might present a malicious webpage or application interface that exploits this authorization gap to perform actions such as changing settings, accessing restricted data, or initiating transactions without the expected confirmation prompts. Although classified as low severity due to the dependency on social engineering and UI interaction, the impact can still be severe depending on what specific access restrictions are bypassed, potentially leading to unauthorized account changes, privacy violations, or further compromise of device security if combined with other vulnerabilities.
This type of flaw aligns closely with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Assignment, where a user is granted privileges that exceed their intended role or context. Furthermore, the exploitation method involving social engineering and UI interaction maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1053 Scheduled Task/Job, if applicable to background processes, but more accurately reflects T1204 User Execution in the context of mobile applications where user trust is manipulated. The reliance on UI interaction also resonates with aspects of T1621 Multi-Factor Authentication Interception or general phishing tactics that exploit interface inconsistencies to confuse users into granting unintended permissions. Understanding these mappings helps security teams categorize the risk and prioritize remediation efforts based on both technical severity and likelihood of exploitation in real-world scenarios.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations and individual users must ensure that Google Chrome is updated to version 152.0.7977.65 or later immediately upon availability. This patch contains the necessary code corrections to enforce proper authorization checks before allowing UI-driven actions to proceed. For enterprise environments, enforcing automatic updates through mobile device management solutions can reduce the window of exposure significantly. Additionally, security awareness training should emphasize caution when interacting with unfamiliar web content or applications that request unusual permissions or present confusing interface elements, as these are common vectors for social engineering attacks that exploit such authorization flaws. Regular auditing of application behavior and monitoring for anomalous UI interactions can also help in detecting potential exploitation attempts before they result in significant damage.