CVE-2026-11672 Overview
CVE-2026-11672 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the GPU component of Google Chrome on Android. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 149.0.7827.103. A remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can use a crafted HTML page to trigger out-of-bounds memory writes in the GPU process. Successful exploitation can lead to a sandbox escape, granting attackers code execution outside the renderer's restricted environment. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-787] (Out-of-bounds Write) and was disclosed through the Chromium security process.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables sandbox escape from a compromised renderer process, allowing attackers to execute code in the higher-privileged GPU process on Android devices.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome on Android prior to version 149.0.7827.103
- Google Android (host operating system for the affected Chrome browser)
- Chromium-based browsers sharing the affected GPU code path
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-09 - CVE-2026-11672 published to NVD
- 2026-06-10 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-11672
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a heap buffer overflow in the GPU process of Google Chrome on Android. The GPU process handles graphics commands forwarded from renderer processes through Chrome's inter-process communication channels. When the GPU process parses crafted graphics data, it writes beyond the bounds of an allocated heap buffer. This out-of-bounds write corrupts adjacent heap memory and can be steered toward control-flow hijacking.
Chrome's security model isolates web content inside a sandboxed renderer process. The GPU process runs at a higher privilege level than the renderer. By exploiting this flaw from an already-compromised renderer, an attacker breaks the sandbox boundary and gains execution context in the GPU process. The attack chain therefore requires a prior renderer compromise, which raises attack complexity but does not eliminate the threat.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper bounds checking on data received and processed by GPU code paths. Memory-unsafe handling of attacker-controlled sizes or offsets allows a write past the end of a heap allocation. The defect is classified as [CWE-787], Out-of-bounds Write.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based. An attacker hosts a crafted HTML page that, after exploiting a separate renderer vulnerability, issues malicious GPU commands. User interaction is required because the victim must visit or be redirected to the malicious page. The scope change reflected in the CVSS vector indicates that exploitation crosses a security boundary from renderer to GPU process.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Update Blog for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-11672
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or restarts of the Chrome GPU process on Android devices, particularly with heap corruption signatures in crash logs.
- Outbound connections from mobile endpoints to untrusted domains immediately preceding GPU process anomalies.
- Chrome versions on Android reporting a build older than 149.0.7827.103 in managed device inventories.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor mobile endpoint telemetry for Chrome process crashes that correlate with browsing activity to unknown or low-reputation web pages.
- Inspect web proxy and DNS logs for connections to URLs delivering anomalously large or malformed HTML, JavaScript, or WebGL payloads.
- Use mobile device management inventory data to identify Android devices running vulnerable Chrome builds.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track Chrome version distribution across the mobile fleet and alert when devices remain on builds prior to 149.0.7827.103.
- Correlate browser crash reports with subsequent privilege-sensitive actions on the same device.
- Forward mobile browser and OS telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for cross-event correlation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-11672
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome on Android to version 149.0.7827.103 or later through the Google Play Store.
- Enforce minimum Chrome version policies via mobile device management for managed Android devices.
- Restrict access to untrusted web content on high-risk mobile endpoints until patching is complete.
Patch Information
Google has released a fixed build of Chrome for Android. Users and administrators should upgrade to Chrome 149.0.7827.103 or later. Patch and release details are available in the Google Chrome Update Blog. The underlying defect tracking is referenced in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.
Workarounds
- Disable hardware acceleration in Chrome where operationally acceptable to reduce exposure of GPU code paths.
- Block known malicious domains at the network edge and through mobile DNS filtering.
- Educate users to avoid following untrusted links on mobile devices until patches are applied.
# Verify the installed Chrome version on a managed Android device via adb
adb shell dumpsys package com.android.chrome | grep versionName
# Expected output should show 149.0.7827.103 or later
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
