CVE-2026-79232 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Use after free in Aura in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as a use-after-free error within the Aura component of Google Chrome represents a critical memory management flaw that compromises the integrity of the browser's rendering engine. Aura serves as the foundational windowing and compositing system in Chromium-based browsers, handling low-level graphics operations and user interface elements. When an application allocates memory for an object but subsequently frees it while retaining references to that same memory block, a use-after-free condition arises. In this specific instance, prior to version 152.0.7977.65, the Aura subsystem failed to properly invalidate or nullify pointers after deallocation. This oversight allows a remote attacker who crafts a malicious HTML page containing specially designed JavaScript and DOM manipulations to trigger the premature release of critical UI objects while active references remain in memory.
From an operational perspective, this flaw enables arbitrary code execution outside the browser's sandbox environment, which is a severe escalation of privilege for web-based attacks. The Chromium security model relies heavily on process isolation and sandboxes to restrict malicious scripts from accessing sensitive system resources or executing native code. By exploiting the use-after-free condition in Aura, an attacker can manipulate memory layout through heap spraying techniques to overwrite freed objects with controlled data structures. This manipulation allows the execution of arbitrary shellcode within the context of a higher-privilege process, effectively bypassing the sandbox protections that are designed to contain web content. The severity is classified as high because it directly undermines the core security boundary between untrusted web content and the host operating system.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-416, which defines use-after-free errors where a pointer references memory that has already been freed. In terms of attack vector classification under MITRE ATT&CK, this exploit leverages techniques associated with initial access and privilege escalation, specifically involving client-side exploitation through crafted web content. The attacker utilizes social engineering or drive-by download tactics to deliver the malicious HTML page, which then triggers the vulnerability in the victim's browser during normal rendering operations. The impact extends beyond simple code execution; it can lead to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and installation of persistent malware if the sandbox escape is successful.
Mitigation for this issue requires immediate updating to Google Chrome version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where the memory management logic in Aura has been corrected to ensure proper pointer invalidation after object deallocation. Organizations should enforce automated patching policies to minimize exposure windows. Additionally, users can employ browser hardening techniques such as disabling JavaScript for untrusted sites or using extensions that restrict execution of potentially dangerous scripts until explicitly allowed. Security teams should monitor network traffic for indicators of compromise related to known exploit kits targeting this specific vulnerability and ensure that endpoint detection systems are updated with signatures capable of detecting the memory corruption patterns associated with heap spraying attacks derived from this flaw.