CVE-2026-13811: Google Chrome Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13811 Overview

CVE-2026-13811 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Input Method Editor (IME) component of Google Chrome. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. A remote attacker can trigger the condition by serving a crafted HTML page to a victim. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution inside the Chrome renderer sandbox. Google's Chromium team rated the security severity as High. The issue is tracked under CWE-416: Use After Free.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome sandbox by luring a user to a crafted web page, providing a foothold for sandbox escape chains.

Affected Products

Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.47
Chrome on Microsoft Windows
Chrome on Apple macOS and Linux

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13811 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06 - Google releases fixed Chrome build 150.0.7871.47 via the Stable channel
2026-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13811

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's IME subsystem, which handles composition events for languages that require text conversion such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. The IME layer manages state shared between the renderer process and the browser's input handling code. A memory object referenced by IME logic is freed while another code path still holds a dangling pointer to it. When that pointer is subsequently dereferenced, an attacker who controls the reallocated memory can hijack program flow.

Because the flaw is reachable from web content, an attacker only needs the victim to load a crafted HTML page. Code execution occurs inside the renderer sandbox, so exploitation typically pairs this bug with a separate sandbox escape to compromise the host. User interaction is required, which is reflected in the attack characteristics.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in the IME code path, classified as CWE-416. A referenced object is deallocated without invalidating all outstanding references, leaving a dangling pointer. Adjacent allocations can then be groomed to place attacker-controlled data at the freed location.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a user to visit a malicious or compromised page. The page uses JavaScript and DOM manipulation to trigger IME composition events that cause the object free, then reallocates memory to control the contents referenced by the stale pointer. Detailed root-cause information is restricted; see the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13811

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer processes crashing with heap corruption signatures on pages that invoke IME composition APIs.
Unexpected child processes spawned by chrome.exe after visiting untrusted sites.
Outbound connections from Chrome renderer processes to unfamiliar domains hosting obfuscated JavaScript.

Detection Strategies

Inventory endpoints running Chrome versions earlier than 150.0.7871.47 using EDR software inventory queries.
Correlate browser crash telemetry with recently visited URLs to identify suspicious pages triggering renderer faults.
Alert on process-injection or shellcode patterns originating from Chrome renderer processes.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward Chrome crash dumps and browser telemetry to a centralized logging platform for review.
Monitor DNS and proxy logs for user navigation to newly registered or low-reputation domains hosting HTML payloads.
Track version drift for Chrome across managed endpoints and alert when unpatched builds persist beyond your patch SLA.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13811

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 150.0.7871.47 or later on Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
Restart Chrome after the update so the patched binary is loaded into memory.
Verify enterprise Chrome update policies are enforcing automatic updates via ChromeUpdate group policy or MDM.

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2026-13811 in the Stable channel release documented in the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory. Administrators should deploy Chrome 150.0.7871.47 or later. Chromium-based browsers that share the affected IME code should apply upstream fixes when their vendors publish downstream updates.

Workarounds

Restrict browsing to trusted sites via web filtering until the patched Chrome build is deployed.
Enforce Site Isolation and disable unnecessary Chrome features through enterprise policy to reduce renderer attack surface.
Where feasible, block execution of Chrome versions below 150.0.7871.47 using application control policies.

bash

# Verify installed Chrome version on Linux endpoints
google-chrome --version

# Windows: query installed version from the registry
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\BLBeacon" /v version

# macOS: read version from the app bundle
defaults read /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/Info CFBundleShortVersionString