CVE-2026-87467 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
Race condition in Updater in Google Chrome on on Windows prior to 153.0.8010.36 allowed a local attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a local program. (Chromium security severity: High)
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9703 represents a critical race condition within the update mechanism of Google Chrome on Windows operating systems prior to version 153.0.8010.36. This flaw resides in the Updater component, which is responsible for managing the installation and verification of browser updates. The core technical issue stems from improper synchronization during file operations or process handling within this updater module. Specifically, a timing gap exists between when certain security checks are performed and when subsequent actions that rely on those checks are executed. This classic race condition allows an attacker who has already achieved local execution privileges to manipulate the state of files or processes in a way that bypasses intended security controls. The vulnerability is classified with high severity by the Chromium project, indicating its potential for significant exploitation under specific conditions where local access can be established.
From a technical perspective, this race condition enables an attacker to execute arbitrary code outside the browser's sandbox environment. Modern web browsers like Chrome employ robust sandboxing techniques to isolate untrusted content from the underlying operating system and user data. However, components running with higher privileges, such as the updater, are necessary for legitimate functionality but present a larger attack surface if not secured correctly. By exploiting the race condition in the Updater, an attacker can trick the privileged process into performing actions on files or executing code that was not properly validated due to the timing discrepancy. This effectively allows the malicious payload to escape the restrictive sandbox boundaries and run with elevated privileges on the host system. The exploitation typically involves a local program crafted by the attacker to trigger this specific window of vulnerability, leveraging the race condition to gain unauthorized access to sensitive areas of the file system or memory space that are normally protected from untrusted code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for any Windows user running an affected version of Chrome. If successfully exploited, it leads to a complete compromise of browser security isolation. An attacker could install malware, steal sensitive data such as credentials and cookies stored in the profile directory, or use the compromised system as a pivot point for further network attacks. Since the exploit requires local access initially, it is particularly dangerous in scenarios where an attacker has already gained foothold through phishing, drive-by downloads that bypassed other defenses, or physical access to the machine. The ability to execute code outside the sandbox negates one of Chrome's primary defense-in-depth layers, making subsequent lateral movement and persistence mechanisms significantly easier for threat actors. This aligns with common attack patterns observed in advanced persistent threats where initial local execution is leveraged to escalate privileges and break out of containerized or sandboxed environments.
Mitigation strategies primarily focus on timely patching and hardening the environment against local privilege escalation attempts. The most effective remediation is to update Google Chrome to version 153.0.8010.36 or later, which addresses the synchronization issues within the Updater component. Organizations should ensure that automatic updates are enabled for all endpoints to minimize the window of exposure. Additionally, implementing strict application control policies can help prevent unauthorized local programs from executing, thereby reducing the likelihood of an attacker being able to trigger this race condition in the first place. Monitoring system logs for unusual activity related to Chrome processes or file modifications during update windows may also aid in early detection of exploitation attempts. From a classification standpoint, this vulnerability maps to CWE-362, which describes concurrent execution access with read-write resource interaction leading to race conditions, and it facilitates techniques associated with ATT&CK T1055, specifically process injection or unauthorized privilege escalation via local exploits.