CVE-2026-79263 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
Race condition in Extensions in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.65 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via crafted network traffic. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as a race condition within the extensions subsystem of Google Chrome versions preceding 152.0.7977.65 represents a significant breach in the browser's internal synchronization mechanisms. Race conditions occur when software performs an operation out of sequence or at an unexpected time, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security failures. In this specific instance, the flaw resides within how Chrome handles concurrent access to resources managed by its extension architecture. Extensions are powerful components that can interact deeply with the browser engine, often possessing elevated privileges compared to standard web content. When multiple threads attempt to modify or read shared state without proper locking mechanisms, a window of opportunity opens for an attacker to manipulate the execution flow. This particular vulnerability was classified as having low severity by the Chromium security team, likely due to the complexity required to exploit it or limited direct impact on core browser stability, yet its potential for arbitrary code execution remains a critical concern given the privileged nature of extension contexts.
The technical mechanism behind this flaw involves improper handling of concurrent operations within the extensions API layer. An attacker can craft specific network traffic designed to trigger simultaneous requests that interact with shared data structures or state variables in the extension system. By carefully timing these requests, an attacker can cause a race condition where one thread reads a value while another is in the process of modifying it. This inconsistency allows for memory corruption or logic bypasses within the sandboxed environment. Although Chrome employs strict sandboxes to isolate web content and extensions from the underlying operating system, sophisticated exploitation techniques such as heap spraying or use-after-free attacks can leverage these race conditions to escape the sandbox boundary. The crafted network traffic serves as the initial vector, delivering malicious payloads that exploit the timing discrepancy to gain unauthorized access to memory regions intended to be protected by the browser's security model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe despite its low severity rating in internal tracking systems. Successful exploitation allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the Chrome process. This means that an attacker could potentially install malware, steal sensitive data such as cookies and session tokens, or use the compromised browser as a pivot point for further network attacks. The ability to execute code inside the sandbox undermines one of the primary defenses against web-based threats. Users who have installed malicious extensions are at heightened risk, but even users with clean extension lists can be targeted if an attacker can inject scripts via compromised websites that interact with vulnerable APIs or trigger internal browser processes through crafted HTTP requests. The persistence and control gained from such an exploit could lead to complete system compromise if the sandbox escape is fully realized, allowing code execution outside the restricted environment of the browser process.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate software updates. Users must upgrade Google Chrome to version 152.0.7977.65 or later, where the race condition has been addressed through improved synchronization primitives and stricter validation checks within the extensions subsystem. Administrators should enforce automatic update policies across all endpoints to ensure that patches are applied promptly upon release. Additionally, organizations should audit installed browser extensions and remove any unnecessary or untrusted add-ons to reduce the attack surface. Security awareness training is also recommended to help users recognize phishing attempts or malicious websites that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability through crafted network traffic. Monitoring for anomalous behavior in extension processes can provide early detection indicators of exploitation attempts, although proactive patching remains the most effective defense against such race condition vulnerabilities.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-362, which describes concurrent execution using shared resources with improper synchronization. The attack vector corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically command and script interpretation via browser extensions or scripts, as well as potential sandbox escape techniques if the race condition leads to memory corruption vulnerabilities like use-after-free (CWE-416). Understanding these mappings helps in categorizing the risk within broader security frameworks and ensures that remediation efforts address not just the immediate code flaw but also the underlying architectural weaknesses in how concurrent operations are managed within privileged browser components.