CVE-2026-87522 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
Missing authorization in WebView in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 153.0.8010.36 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to potentially bypass system access restrictions via crafted network traffic. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as missing authorization within the WebView component of Google Chrome for Android represents a significant flaw in how web content interacts with native application permissions and operating system boundaries. Prior to version 153.0.8010.36, the implementation failed to enforce strict access controls when handling specific types of network traffic or resource requests initiated by embedded web views. This architectural oversight allows malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship between the browser engine and the underlying Android operating system. The core technical flaw lies in the insufficient validation of authorization tokens or permission checks during the processing of cross-origin or privileged API calls made through the WebView interface. By crafting specific network payloads that mimic legitimate requests, an attacker can trick the application into executing actions that require higher privileges than those granted to the web context itself.
From a threat actor perspective, this vulnerability is primarily leveraged through social engineering tactics rather than direct technical exploitation of remote code execution vectors. The attack scenario typically involves delivering malicious content via phishing emails, compromised websites, or deceptive links where the user is induced to interact with the crafted network traffic within the Chrome WebView environment. Once triggered, the flaw enables a potential bypass of system access restrictions that are normally enforced by Android's permission model. This could lead to unauthorized data exfiltration, such as accessing sensitive files stored on the device, reading clipboard contents, or interacting with other applications without explicit user consent. The severity is classified as low within the Chromium security framework because it requires user interaction and does not allow for silent background exploitation in most standard configurations, yet its impact remains concerning due to the potential for privacy violations and data theft.
In terms of industry standards classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which denotes Improper Privilege Control, specifically where an actor obtains elevated privileges or access rights without proper authorization. It also relates closely to CWE-749, Exposed Dangerous Method, as the WebView exposes internal methods that are not adequately guarded against untrusted input. Furthermore, within the MITRE ATT&CK framework for mobile platforms, this behavior corresponds to techniques involving unauthorized access to local system resources and potentially data staging through web-based interfaces. The lack of strict origin checks or permission validation in these specific network interactions creates a pathway for privilege escalation from the sandboxed web context to more sensitive areas of the device operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is contingent upon the user's interaction with malicious content, but it fundamentally undermines the security boundary that separates web applications from native Android capabilities. Attackers can potentially read or modify data that should remain isolated within specific application sandboxes. This erosion of trust in WebView components poses a risk to users who rely on Chrome for secure browsing and app integration. The ability to bypass system access restrictions means that even if an attacker cannot execute arbitrary code, they can still achieve significant reconnaissance and data theft objectives by exploiting the elevated permissions granted to the browser process itself.
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is imperative to update Google Chrome on Android devices to version 153.0.8010.36 or later immediately upon availability. This patch addresses the authorization checks within the WebView component, ensuring that network traffic and API calls are properly validated against current permission policies before execution. Users should also exercise caution when interacting with unknown links or content embedded in web views, particularly if prompted to grant additional permissions. Enabling Chrome's built-in security features, such as Safe Browsing and strict site isolation settings where available, can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking malicious payloads before they trigger the underlying vulnerability. Regularly updating all applications ensures that known flaws are patched and reduces the attack surface exposed to social engineering campaigns targeting browser-based exploits.