CVE-2026-11268: Google Chrome Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-11268 Overview

CVE-2026-11268 is an uninitialized memory use vulnerability in the Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine (ANGLE) component of Google Chrome on Windows. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 149.0.7827.53. A remote attacker can exploit the issue by serving a crafted HTML page that, when rendered, causes ANGLE to read uninitialized memory and leak cross-origin data to the attacker.

The vulnerability maps to [CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable]. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically the victim visiting an attacker-controlled or compromised page. Google classified the Chromium security severity as Low, while the assigned CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5.

Critical Impact
A remote attacker can leak cross-origin data from a victim browser by luring the user to a crafted HTML page that triggers uninitialized memory reads in ANGLE.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on Windows prior to 149.0.7827.53
Microsoft Windows hosts running affected Chrome builds
Chromium-based downstream browsers shipping the same ANGLE code path

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-05 - CVE-2026-11268 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-09 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-11268

Vulnerability Analysis

The defect lives in ANGLE, the translation layer Chrome uses to map WebGL and similar graphics calls onto native Windows graphics APIs such as Direct3D. A code path inside ANGLE consumes a variable or buffer before it is initialized, so its contents reflect whatever data previously occupied that memory region.

When the renderer returns the value to JavaScript, for example through a WebGL read-back or texture query, the response can include bytes belonging to another origin or process state. An attacker who controls page content can shape the surrounding allocations, repeatedly invoke the vulnerable code path, and reconstruct fragments of cross-origin data such as image pixels or pipeline state.

The issue is an information disclosure flaw, not a memory corruption primitive. It does not directly grant code execution or integrity impact, which is reflected in the CVSS impact metrics (C:H/I:N/A:N).

Root Cause

The root cause is a missing initialization step in an ANGLE structure or buffer ([CWE-457]). When the renderer allocates the object, it relies on assumptions about prior zeroing or driver-side initialization that do not hold for every code path. Subsequent reads expose residual memory contents.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is remote and network-based. The attacker hosts a crafted HTML page using WebGL or related ANGLE-backed APIs. When the victim navigates to the page, the renderer executes the attacker's JavaScript and triggers the uninitialized read. Sustained execution allows the attacker to exfiltrate observed memory bytes to a server they control.

No authentication is required, and the same-origin policy is bypassed only with respect to data exposed through the ANGLE leak, not the document object model itself. See the Chromium Issue Tracker entry for the upstream bug reference.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-11268

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome browser processes on Windows endpoints running versions earlier than 149.0.7827.53
Outbound connections from browser renderer processes to unfamiliar domains immediately after WebGL-heavy page loads
Repeated visits to pages that aggressively invoke WebGL APIs from non-business domains
Web proxy logs showing HTML responses containing dense WebGL shader and readPixels activity from low-reputation hosts

Detection Strategies

Inventory all Chrome installations and flag builds below 149.0.7827.53 using endpoint management or vulnerability scanning tools
Correlate browser version telemetry with web proxy logs to identify exposed users browsing untrusted sites
Inspect HTTP responses for WebGL exploitation patterns that combine gl.readPixels, repeated texture uploads, and outbound fetch calls

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable browser version reporting through Chrome Enterprise policies and forward results to a central log store
Alert on renderer processes spawning unexpected child processes or generating anomalous network egress
Track web filtering categories visited by users on unpatched Chrome builds and prioritize them for upgrade

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-11268

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on Windows to version 149.0.7827.53 or later on every managed endpoint
Force-restart Chrome after the update to ensure the patched ANGLE binaries are loaded
Audit Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Brave for vendor advisories adopting the same ANGLE fix
Communicate to users the requirement to close and reopen the browser to complete patch installation

Patch Information

Google shipped the fix in the Chrome Stable channel for Windows in version 149.0.7827.53. Refer to the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update for Desktop for the official release notes and the Chromium Issue Tracker entry for upstream tracking. There is no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation, and the CVE is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS probability is 0.03%.

Workarounds

Disable hardware acceleration in Chrome via chrome://settings/system to reduce reliance on ANGLE code paths until patching completes
Restrict access to untrusted sites through web filtering policies for users on unpatched builds
Apply Chrome Enterprise policy HardwareAccelerationModeEnabled set to false on managed Windows fleets as a temporary control

bash

# Enforce Chrome update channel and disable hardware acceleration via Group Policy registry keys
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome" /v HardwareAccelerationModeEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Update\ClientState\{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}" /v UpdateDefault /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f