CVE-2026-102311: Google Chrome Information Disclosure Bug

CVE-2026-102311 Overview

CVE-2026-102311 is an uninitialized resource vulnerability in the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) component of Google Chrome on Android. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 154.0.8037.92. A remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can read memory outside the Chrome sandbox by serving a crafted HTML page. The issue is classified under [CWE-908: Use of Uninitialized Resource].

Exploitation requires a prior compromise of the renderer process and user interaction, which constrains real-world exploitation. Google's Chromium team rates the underlying issue as High severity, while the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) assigns it a Low CVSS rating due to the chained preconditions.

Critical Impact
An attacker chaining a renderer compromise with this bug can leak memory contents from the GPU process, bypassing sandbox isolation on Android devices.

Affected Products

Google Chrome for Android prior to 154.0.8037.92
Google Android platform (Chrome browser component)
Chromium-based derivatives sharing the affected GPU code path

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-29 - CVE-2026-102311 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-09-30 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-102311

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's GPU process, which handles hardware-accelerated rendering for web content. The GPU process allocates a resource without initializing its contents before use. When the renderer process interacts with this resource through the standard interprocess communication (IPC) channel, residual memory from prior allocations becomes accessible.

Because the GPU process runs outside the renderer sandbox and holds broader access to graphics memory, leaked contents can include data the renderer would otherwise never observe. This weakens the sandbox boundary that Chrome relies on for defense in depth.

An attacker must first compromise the renderer process using a separate vulnerability. From that foothold, the attacker uses the uninitialized GPU resource as an oracle to exfiltrate memory contents. The bug is tracked as Chromium Issue #559737160.

Root Cause

The root cause is failure to zero or otherwise initialize a GPU resource buffer before returning it to the caller. This is the classic pattern described in [CWE-908], where memory reuse exposes stale data across trust boundaries. On Android, the GPU process typically has access to shared memory regions and hardware buffers that amplify the impact of the leak.

Attack Vector

The attack requires a compromised renderer as a precondition. A user must load a crafted HTML page in a vulnerable Chrome for Android build. The renderer, under attacker control, issues GPU commands designed to allocate and read back the uninitialized resource. The attacker then parses the returned data to extract sensitive memory contents that reside outside the sandbox.

No public proof-of-concept exploit or entry in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog is available at publication time.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-102311

Indicators of Compromise

Android devices running Chrome versions earlier than 154.0.8037.92
Chrome renderer process crashes or anomalous GPU command traffic preceding data exfiltration
Outbound network activity from browser sessions immediately after loading untrusted HTML content

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across managed Android fleets and flag any build below 154.0.8037.92
Correlate mobile browser telemetry with sandbox escape indicators such as renderer crash reports and unexpected GPU process behavior
Monitor for exploit chains: uninitialized memory reads typically appear as a second stage following a renderer-side vulnerability

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Mobile Threat Defense (MTD) telemetry that reports Chrome version metadata to a central console
Track visits to unknown or low-reputation domains delivering HTML content targeting Android Chrome users
Review enterprise browser management logs for update deferrals that leave devices on vulnerable builds

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-102311

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome for Android to version 154.0.8037.92 or later through the Google Play Store
Enforce automatic browser updates on managed Android devices via Mobile Device Management (MDM) policy
Prioritize patching for devices used to browse untrusted content or handle sensitive workloads

Patch Information

Google addressed the issue in Chrome 154.0.8037.92. Details are available in the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update and the underlying Chromium Issue #559737160.

Workarounds

Restrict browsing to trusted sites until the update is deployed, since exploitation requires a crafted HTML page
Consider temporarily disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome on high-risk devices to reduce GPU process exposure
Use enterprise browser policies to block execution of untrusted third-party scripts where feasible

bash

# Verify Chrome for Android version on a managed device via ADB
adb shell dumpsys package com.android.chrome | grep versionName

# Expected output should show 154.0.8037.92 or later