CVE-2026-13880: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13880 Overview

CVE-2026-13880 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 exploit this issue to escape the Chrome sandbox using a crafted HTML page. Sandbox escape allows the attacker to break out of Chrome's isolated renderer and execute code with broader privileges on the host. Google classified the underlying Chromium security severity as Medium, but the National Vulnerability Database rates the combined impact as critical due to the potential for full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables sandbox escape from a compromised renderer process, giving attackers access to resources outside Chrome's isolation boundary on macOS hosts.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on macOS prior to 150.0.7871.47
Apple macOS (all versions running vulnerable Chrome builds)
Chromium-based browsers sharing the same USB implementation

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13880 published to NVD
2026-07-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13880

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition in Chrome's USB subsystem. Use-after-free bugs occur when a program references memory after it has been released back to the allocator. An attacker who controls the freed region can substitute crafted data to redirect execution flow or corrupt object state.

In this case, the flaw sits at the boundary between the renderer process and the browser process, where USB device requests are serialized and dispatched. Chrome's WebUSB API surface handles device enumeration, transfer requests, and connection lifecycle events. A mismatch between object lifetime and pending asynchronous operations creates a window where a freed USB object is dereferenced.

Because the primary attack surface is reached from a compromised renderer, this bug functions as a second-stage exploit. Attackers chain it with a prior renderer compromise, typically a JavaScript engine or DOM bug, to escape the sandbox and reach the more privileged browser process on macOS.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in the USB code path. A reference to a USB-related object persists after the object has been freed, and a later operation dereferences the stale pointer. This maps to [CWE-416] Use After Free.

Attack Vector

The attack requires user interaction and a network-delivered payload. A victim visits a crafted HTML page controlled by the attacker. The page first exploits a separate vulnerability to gain code execution inside the sandboxed renderer. From the renderer, the attacker triggers the vulnerable USB code path through interprocess messages to free and reuse the target object, achieving sandbox escape.

The vulnerability manifests during asynchronous USB operations where object teardown races with pending callbacks. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for further technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13880

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer or GPU process crashes with signatures referencing USB device handling on macOS hosts
Unexpected child processes spawned by Google Chrome Helper outside the standard sandbox profile
Outbound network connections initiated by Chrome helper processes to previously unseen infrastructure
macOS ReportCrash entries citing EXC_BAD_ACCESS in Chrome USB modules

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across macOS endpoints and flag any build older than 150.0.7871.47
Monitor for anomalous process ancestry where Chrome helper processes launch shells, osascript, or persistence utilities
Correlate browser crash telemetry with subsequent process execution or file writes to user directories

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest macOS Unified Logs and Chrome crash reports into a centralized analytics platform for retrospective search
Alert on WebUSB API usage patterns from untrusted origins where policy allows such enumeration
Track Chrome auto-update status across the fleet to confirm patched versions are deployed

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13880

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on all macOS endpoints to version 150.0.7871.47 or later
Verify Chrome's automatic update mechanism is enabled and not blocked by endpoint management policy
Audit third-party Chromium-based browsers for corresponding upstream patches

Patch Information

Google addressed CVE-2026-13880 in the Chrome Stable channel release documented in the Google Chrome Desktop Update. The fixed version for macOS is 150.0.7871.47. Administrators should force a restart of Chrome after update deployment because patched binaries do not take effect until the browser is relaunched.

Workarounds

Restrict WebUSB access through enterprise policy by setting DefaultWebUsbGuardSetting to block, and use WebUsbBlockedForUrls for granular control
Deploy Chrome enterprise policies that disable USB device access for untrusted sites until patches are applied
Limit browsing to trusted domains via URL allowlists on high-value macOS endpoints

bash

# Configuration example: block WebUSB via Chrome enterprise policy on macOS
defaults write com.google.Chrome DefaultWebUsbGuardSetting -int 2
defaults write com.google.Chrome WebUsbBlockedForUrls -array "*"

# Verify installed Chrome version
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --version