CVE-2026-95380 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/29/2026
Type confusion in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 154.0.8037.57 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to potentially execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as a type confusion flaw within the V8 JavaScript engine, which powers Google Chrome prior to version 154.0.8037.57, represents a critical memory safety issue that undermines the integrity of the browser's execution environment. Type confusion vulnerabilities occur when an application incorrectly handles objects or data types during runtime, leading to situations where code expects one type but receives another. In the context of V8, this typically involves misinterpreting the internal structure of JavaScript objects, such as confusing a heap object with a different type like a number or a string pointer. This discrepancy allows for out-of-bounds reads and writes, which are foundational precursors to arbitrary code execution. The severity is classified as low by Chromium security standards because exploitation generally requires user interaction, specifically social engineering tactics where an attacker lures a victim into visiting a maliciously crafted HTML page that triggers the flaw through carefully constructed JavaScript payloads.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability exploits weaknesses in how V8 manages memory and type information for dynamic languages like JavaScript. When the engine processes code from a hostile source, it may fail to properly validate or cast object types before performing operations on them. This lack of strict type checking enables an attacker to manipulate heap structures, potentially overwriting function pointers or other critical data segments within the sandboxed environment. Although Chrome employs multiple layers of defense such as sandboxing and hardware-based isolation techniques like Control Flow Integrity (CFI), a successful exploitation of this type confusion can allow code execution that bypasses these protections if the attacker can achieve sufficient control over memory layout and state. The attack vector is remote, meaning it does not require physical access or prior authentication on the target system, relying instead on the victim's browser to render the malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on the potential for arbitrary code execution within the browser sandbox. While modern browsers isolate tabs and processes to limit damage, successful exploitation can lead to a sandbox escape, granting the attacker higher privileges or access to sensitive user data stored locally by the browser. This could include cookies, saved passwords, browsing history, and other personally identifiable information. Furthermore, if combined with other vulnerabilities in the rendering engine or operating system components, this flaw could serve as an initial foothold for more complex attacks such as drive-by downloads or persistent malware installation. The reliance on social engineering means that while the technical exploit is potent, its real-world success depends heavily on user behavior and awareness of phishing attempts disguised as legitimate web content.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating to a patched version of Google Chrome where these type checking mechanisms have been hardened in V8. Organizations should enforce automatic updates for all endpoints running this browser variant to ensure timely patching against known exploits. Additionally, security teams can implement application control policies that restrict the execution of unsigned scripts or limit JavaScript capabilities within untrusted domains using Content Security Policy (CSP) headers. Monitoring network traffic and endpoint behavior for anomalous script executions can also aid in detecting attempts to leverage this vulnerability before full exploitation occurs. Awareness training remains crucial since social engineering is a key component of the attack chain, helping users recognize and avoid interacting with suspicious web pages that may contain malicious payloads designed to trigger such engine-level flaws.