CVE-2026-13846: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13846 Overview

CVE-2026-13846 is a use-after-free vulnerability [CWE-416] in the USB component of Google Chrome on macOS. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47. A remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can leverage a crafted HTML page to escape the Chrome sandbox. Successful exploitation grants the attacker code execution outside the renderer boundary, extending impact to the host operating system.

Google has classified the Chromium security severity as High. The vulnerability was addressed in the stable channel update announced on the Chrome Releases blog.

Critical Impact
Sandbox escape from a compromised renderer process on macOS, enabling attackers to break out of Chrome's isolation boundary and gain broader host access via a crafted HTML page.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on macOS prior to version 150.0.7871.47
Apple macOS (as the affected host platform)
Chromium-based components sharing the vulnerable USB code path

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13846 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13846

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's USB subsystem, which brokers WebUSB and device access between renderer processes and the browser process. A use-after-free condition [CWE-416] occurs when a USB-related object is freed while a reference to it remains reachable through another code path. Subsequent operations dereference the stale pointer, allowing memory reuse under attacker control.

Because the USB service runs at a higher privilege boundary than the renderer, exploitation crosses Chrome's sandbox. An attacker chaining this bug with a prior renderer compromise can pivot from JavaScript-level code execution to browser-process privileges on macOS. The user interaction requirement is limited to loading a crafted HTML page.

Root Cause

The defect stems from improper object lifetime management in the USB IPC handling code. Reference counting or ownership tracking fails to invalidate a pointer after the underlying object is released. When the freed slot is reallocated with attacker-controlled data, subsequent virtual method calls or field accesses redirect execution or corrupt state.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires two conditions. First, the attacker must already control the renderer process, typically achieved through a separate memory corruption bug in the JavaScript engine or DOM. Second, the attacker serves a crafted HTML page that triggers the specific USB interaction sequence needed to reach the freed object. The combination produces sandbox escape without local access or elevated privileges.

The vulnerability manifests in Chrome's USB IPC boundary. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Update Announcement for vendor details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13846

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome browser processes on macOS spawning unexpected child processes or writing to non-standard locations outside the browser cache directory.
Crashes in the Chrome USB service or GPU/utility processes correlated with visits to untrusted web pages.
Anomalous WebUSB API activity from pages that have no legitimate USB use case.

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoints for Chrome versions below 150.0.7871.47 on macOS using software inventory tools.
Correlate browser crash telemetry with subsequent process creation events originating from the Chrome browser process tree.
Inspect HTTP proxy or DNS logs for repeated visits to low-reputation domains immediately preceding Chrome instability.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable macOS Endpoint Security framework telemetry to capture process lineage and file system events under the Chrome bundle.
Alert on Chrome browser-process syscalls that are atypical for normal browsing, such as writes to LaunchAgents or persistence locations.
Track WebUSB permission prompts and pair with URL reputation feeds to surface suspicious pages.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13846

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on all macOS endpoints to version 150.0.7871.47 or later.
Force-relaunch Chrome after deployment to ensure the patched binary is loaded into memory.
Audit managed device fleets to confirm no legacy Chrome installations remain reachable.

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the stable channel update for desktop covering Chrome 150.0.7871.47 on macOS. Deployment details are published in the Google Chrome Update Announcement. Chromium-derived browsers should apply the corresponding upstream patch once available from their vendors.

Workarounds

Disable WebUSB access via enterprise policy by setting DefaultWebUsbGuardSetting to 2 (block) using Chrome managed configuration.
Restrict Chrome usage to trusted internal sites through URL allow-listing until patching is complete.
Deploy site isolation and enhanced sandboxing policies to raise the cost of chaining a renderer bug with this sandbox escape.

bash

# Chrome enterprise policy on macOS to block WebUSB while patching
defaults write com.google.Chrome DefaultWebUsbGuardSetting -int 2
defaults write com.google.Chrome WebUsbBlockedForUrls -array "*"