CVE-2026-13885: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13885 Overview

CVE-2026-13885 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Skia graphics library used by Google Chrome on Android. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47. A remote attacker can trigger the condition by luring a user to a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution inside the Chrome sandbox. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-416] and is categorized as a memory corruption issue in the browser rendering pipeline. Chromium engineers rated the internal security severity as Medium, while the National Vulnerability Database assigns it a higher score based on impact metrics.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome sandbox by convincing a user to load a malicious HTML page rendered through Skia.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on Android versions prior to 150.0.7871.47
Google Android devices running vulnerable Chrome builds
Chromium-based components that embed the vulnerable Skia rendering code

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13885 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-07-02 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13885

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Skia, the 2D graphics library that Chrome uses to rasterize web content, canvas operations, and compositor layers. A use-after-free condition occurs when Skia continues to reference an object in memory after that object has been freed. When an attacker controls the timing and layout of allocations around the freed object, they can substitute attacker-controlled data in the reused memory region.

During rendering of a crafted HTML page, Skia dereferences the dangling pointer and treats attacker-controlled bytes as a valid graphics object. This primitive allows an attacker to influence control flow and gain arbitrary code execution within the renderer process. The exploit runs inside the Chrome sandbox, so a separate sandbox escape would be required to fully compromise the underlying Android device.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in Skia, classified as [CWE-416] Use After Free. A code path releases a graphics object while another component retains a raw pointer to that object. Subsequent operations dereference the stale pointer, reading or writing memory that has been reallocated for another purpose.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a user to visit a malicious or compromised web page in a vulnerable Chrome for Android build. The attacker delivers crafted HTML, CSS, or canvas content that triggers the specific Skia allocation and free sequence. No authentication is required, but user interaction in the form of page navigation is necessary. Attackers can deliver the payload through phishing links, malvertising, or compromised third-party content.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Technical details are tracked in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Desktop Update.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13885

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome for Android renderer processes crashing with segmentation faults while loading external HTML content
Outbound requests to newly registered domains hosting graphics-heavy HTML payloads
Unexpected child processes or shellcode-like memory regions inside the Chrome renderer sandbox
Chrome version strings older than 150.0.7871.47 reported by managed mobile fleets

Detection Strategies

Inventory Chrome for Android versions across managed devices and flag builds earlier than 150.0.7871.47
Monitor mobile endpoint telemetry for repeated Chrome renderer crashes correlated with specific URLs
Inspect web proxy and DNS logs for user navigation to suspicious pages preceding browser instability
Correlate crash reports and browser telemetry with threat intelligence on active exploit campaigns

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest mobile device management (MDM) inventory data into a central analytics platform to track Chrome patch status
Alert on anomalous Chrome process behavior such as unexpected network connections or file writes
Track EPSS scoring changes for this CVE to detect shifts in exploit likelihood
Enable Chrome Enterprise reporting where available to capture browser crash and extension telemetry

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13885

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on Android to version 150.0.7871.47 or later through the Google Play Store
Push forced Chrome updates via mobile device management for enterprise-managed Android devices
Warn users against following untrusted links on mobile devices until patching is confirmed
Verify the installed Chrome version on high-risk devices such as executive and administrator handsets

Patch Information

Google released the fix in Chrome 150.0.7871.47 for Android. Users should install the update from the Google Play Store or through managed distribution channels. Details are documented in the Google Chrome Desktop Update release notes, with the underlying issue referenced in the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.

Workarounds

Restrict browsing on unpatched devices to a curated allowlist of trusted internal sites
Deploy DNS filtering and secure web gateways to block known malicious domains and malvertising networks
Use alternative browsers that do not share the vulnerable Skia build until Chrome is updated
Educate users to avoid clicking links from untrusted messages, email, or social media on mobile devices

bash

# Verify Chrome version on an Android device via ADB
adb shell dumpsys package com.android.chrome | grep versionName

# Expected output for a patched device
# versionName=150.0.7871.47 (or later)