CVE-2026-87555 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
Uninitialized resource in GPU in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 153.0.8010.36 allowed a remote attacker to read memory outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as an uninitialized resource issue within the GPU subsystem of Google Chrome on Android represents a significant class of memory safety errors that can lead to unauthorized data exposure. This flaw, present in versions prior to 153.0.8010.36, stems from improper initialization of resources allocated for graphics processing operations. In complex software architectures like Chromium, the GPU process operates with elevated privileges relative to the renderer processes to facilitate hardware acceleration and efficient rendering. When a resource is not properly initialized before being accessed or used in subsequent operations, it may contain residual data from previous allocations or default memory states that were never cleared. This lack of initialization creates a window where sensitive information can be inadvertently exposed if an attacker can trigger specific code paths that read these uninitialized values without proper bounds checking or validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly severe due to the sandboxing mechanisms inherent in modern web browsers. Chrome employs a multi-process architecture with strict sandboxes designed to isolate potentially untrusted content, such as pages loaded from the internet, from sensitive system resources and user data. The GPU process often resides outside or at the boundary of these stricter renderer sandboxes because it requires direct access to hardware drivers for performance reasons. By exploiting an uninitialized resource in this component, a remote attacker can craft a malicious HTML page that triggers specific rendering commands. These commands cause the browser to read memory locations that should be inaccessible from the sandboxed context, effectively bypassing the isolation boundaries. This allows the attacker to perform out-of-bounds reads, potentially leaking sensitive information such as cookies, session tokens, or other private data stored in adjacent memory regions.
From a technical classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-457, which describes the use of an uninitialized variable. The failure to initialize resources before their first use is a common source of undefined behavior and security vulnerabilities in C++ based applications like Chromium. Furthermore, the exploitation technique leverages ATT&CK tactic T1005, specifically subtechnique Data from Local System, as it involves gathering data directly from local memory through an out-of-bounds read operation. The severity rating of Medium by the Chromium team reflects that while the vulnerability allows for sandbox escape and information disclosure, it may require specific conditions or a crafted exploit chain to achieve reliable results against modern mitigation techniques such as ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) and DEP (Data Execution Prevention). However, given the potential for data exfiltration, even medium-severity vulnerabilities in core browser components are treated with high priority.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating the Google Chrome application on Android devices to version 153.0.8010.36 or later, where this initialization flaw has been corrected by ensuring that all GPU resources are properly zeroed out or initialized before use. For organizations managing fleets of Android devices, enforcing automatic updates through Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions is critical to ensure timely patching. Additionally, developers and security teams should review code paths involving GPU resource allocation in Chromium-based browsers to identify similar patterns of uninitialized memory usage. Implementing static analysis tools that detect CWE-457 violations during the development phase can help prevent such issues from reaching production builds. Regular penetration testing focused on browser sandbox escape techniques also aids in validating the effectiveness of these mitigations and identifying any residual risks associated with complex graphics processing pipelines.