CVE-2026-7969 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/06/2026
Integer overflow in Network in Google Chrome prior to 148.0.7778.96 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to bypass same origin policy via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical integer overflow condition that existed in Google Chrome versions prior to 148.0.7778.96 within the network component handling. The flaw occurred when the browser processed certain HTML content that triggered an integer overflow during memory allocation or buffer handling operations. Such conditions typically arise when a program attempts to store a value that exceeds the maximum limit of the integer data type being used, causing the value to wrap around to a much smaller number. The vulnerability was classified as medium severity by Chromium security team but represents a significant threat to web application security.
The integer overflow specifically affected the same origin policy enforcement mechanism within Chrome's rendering engine. This policy is fundamental to web security as it prevents scripts from one origin from accessing resources or data from another origin, thereby protecting users from cross-site scripting attacks and data leakage. When exploited, the vulnerability allowed a remote attacker who had already compromised the renderer process to manipulate memory operations in such a way that they could bypass these critical security boundaries. The attacker would need to first gain control of the renderer process through a separate vulnerability, but once achieved, they could leverage this integer overflow to perform unauthorized operations across different origins.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability required crafting a specific HTML page that would trigger the integer overflow condition during normal browser operation. This typically involved creating malformed or specially constructed data structures that would cause the integer variables to wrap around to values that would bypass security checks. The attacker would need to carefully construct the HTML content to ensure that the overflow occurred at a precise location within the memory management routines. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it allowed bypassing the same origin policy, which is one of the most fundamental security mechanisms in web browsers, enabling potential data theft, session hijacking, and cross-site attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally undermines the browser's security model. When the same origin policy is bypassed, it opens the door for numerous downstream attacks including but not limited to credential theft, data exfiltration, and manipulation of web applications across different domains. The vulnerability could be exploited in conjunction with other attacks to create more sophisticated attack chains where the initial compromise leads to further exploitation of the browser's security boundaries. Security researchers have documented similar integer overflow vulnerabilities in web browsers as having the potential to be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks and information disclosure.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-190 which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions in software systems, and it demonstrates the critical importance of proper integer bounds checking in security-sensitive applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under technique T1059 where attackers might use compromised systems to perform additional exploitation, and potentially T1566 for initial access through malicious web content. The fix implemented by Google involved proper bounds checking and integer overflow protection mechanisms within the network handling code, ensuring that all integer operations within the renderer process would properly validate their inputs and prevent wraparound conditions that could lead to security boundary violations. Organizations should ensure their Chrome installations are updated to version 148.0.7778.96 or later to mitigate this vulnerability and maintain proper web browser security posture.