CVE-2026-7985 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/06/2026
Use after free in GPU in Google Chrome prior to 148.0.7778.96 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to potentially perform a sandbox escape via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the graphics processing unit component of Google Chrome, specifically affecting versions prior to 148.0.7778.96. The flaw occurs within the GPU process handling mechanisms where improper memory management allows for a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated. Such conditions typically arise when object references are not properly invalidated after memory deallocation, creating opportunities for memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability is classified as a use-after-free under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework with CWE-416, which specifically addresses the reuse of memory after it has been freed.
The security implications of this flaw extend beyond typical memory corruption scenarios due to its location within the GPU subsystem of the browser. When an attacker successfully compromises the renderer process through a crafted HTML page, they can leverage this use-after-free condition to potentially escalate privileges and escape the sandbox protection mechanisms that normally isolate the GPU process from the rest of the system. The Chromium security severity rating of Medium reflects the complexity required to exploit this vulnerability, which necessitates prior compromise of the renderer process, but the potential impact remains significant given the privileged nature of GPU operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability manifests when a user visits a malicious website that triggers the specific memory management flaw during GPU processing operations. The crafted HTML page would need to contain elements that force the browser into a state where GPU memory allocation and deallocation sequences create the conditions for the use-after-free scenario. This typically involves complex interactions between JavaScript APIs, WebGL operations, and GPU command processing that can lead to memory corruption. The sandbox escape capability represents a severe escalation risk as it could allow attackers to bypass the operating system level protections that normally prevent GPU processes from accessing restricted system resources or executing privileged operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate software updates to the latest Chrome versions where the memory management issues have been addressed through proper memory deallocation and reference invalidation procedures. Organizations should implement robust patch management processes to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across all affected systems. Additionally, browser hardening measures including enhanced sandbox configurations, privilege separation controls, and monitoring for anomalous GPU process behavior can provide additional layers of defense. The vulnerability highlights the importance of memory safety practices in graphics processing components and demonstrates the critical need for thorough testing of memory management operations in complex browser subsystems. This type of vulnerability commonly appears in environments where complex graphics APIs are exposed to untrusted content, making it essential to validate all user-provided data through proper input sanitization and memory validation checks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through memory corruption, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that address both the immediate vulnerability and broader system protection mechanisms.