CVE-2026-87614
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
Incorrect authorization in ServiceWorker in Google Chrome prior to 153.0.8010.36 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to bypass web origin policy via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as an incorrect authorization flaw within the ServiceWorker component of Google Chrome prior to version 153.0.8010.36 represents a significant breach in browser isolation mechanisms. This issue stems from a logic error where the security boundaries governing service worker registration and execution are not strictly enforced against compromised renderer processes. In modern web architectures, browsers rely on strict origin policies to ensure that scripts running within one tab or context cannot access data or perform actions intended for another domain. Service workers act as network proxies, intercepting requests and managing caching strategies offline, which grants them elevated privileges compared to standard page scripts. When a renderer process is compromised through an initial exploitation vector such as a cross-site scripting attack or a memory corruption bug in a different tab, the attacker gains control over that isolated environment. The flaw allows this malicious code to trick the browser into registering or executing service worker logic under a trusted origin without proper authorization checks, effectively bypassing the web origin policy.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which describes Improper Control of Interaction with Untrusted Input in contexts where privilege escalation occurs via misconfigured access controls. The attacker leverages the compromised renderer to manipulate internal browser APIs that handle service worker lifecycle events. By crafting specific HTML pages or injecting scripts into a vulnerable context, the adversary can trigger actions that result in the registration of a malicious service worker associated with a high-privilege origin. This bypasses the same-origin policy, allowing the attacker to read sensitive cookies, local storage data, and other credentials stored under that trusted domain. The severity is classified as low by Chromium security standards because it requires an initial foothold within a renderer process, meaning it cannot be exploited directly from a remote server without first compromising another part of the browser or exploiting a separate vulnerability in a different tab.
The operational impact of this flaw centers on data exfiltration and session hijacking scenarios where an attacker has already achieved code execution within a sandboxed environment. Once the origin policy is bypassed, the malicious service worker can intercept network requests made by legitimate applications running under the trusted origin. This enables the theft of authentication tokens, personal identifiable information, or proprietary business logic transmitted over HTTP connections if TLS pinning is not strictly enforced. Furthermore, because service workers persist beyond browser sessions, an attacker could maintain long-term access to sensitive data even after the initial exploit vector has been closed. The ability to impersonate trusted origins undermines the fundamental trust model of the web platform, potentially leading to further lateral movement within a user's browsing session or compromise of associated backend services if credentials are reused.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating Google Chrome to version 153.0.8010.36 or later, where these authorization checks have been hardened and validated against renderer-origin interactions. For organizations unable to patch immediately, implementing strict Content Security Policy directives can help limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and restrict service worker registration scopes. Additionally, enforcing HTTPS with Certificate Transparency monitoring reduces the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks that might facilitate initial compromise. From a defensive posture perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining robust sandboxing mechanisms and regularly auditing browser configurations to ensure that privilege escalation paths are minimized. Security teams should also monitor for unusual service worker registrations or network anomalies indicative of origin policy violations as part of their endpoint detection and response protocols.