CVE-2026-13944: Chrome Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13944 Overview

CVE-2026-13944 is an inappropriate implementation vulnerability in the DataTransfer component of Google Chrome on macOS. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47. A remote attacker who convinces a user to perform specific UI gestures can leak cross-origin data through a crafted HTML page. Google's Chromium security team rated this issue Medium severity, while NVD scored it as Low. The vulnerability maps to CWE-352, covering cross-site request forgery-adjacent issues where UI interactions bypass origin restrictions. Exploitation requires user interaction and social engineering, limiting mass exploitation potential.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows cross-origin data leakage, breaking the same-origin policy that isolates content between websites in the browser.

Affected Products

Google Chrome on macOS prior to version 150.0.7871.47
Apple macOS (as the affected host platform)
Chromium-based rendering paths implementing the DataTransfer API on macOS

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13944 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13944

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's DataTransfer interface, which manages clipboard and drag-and-drop data between web contexts. On macOS builds prior to 150.0.7871.47, the implementation fails to enforce cross-origin restrictions consistently during specific UI-driven data transfer operations. An attacker can craft an HTML page that entices the user into performing gestures such as drag-and-drop or clipboard interactions. These gestures trigger the flawed code path, exposing data belonging to a different origin.

The attack complexity is high because it depends on specific UI sequences that the victim must complete. Exploitation does not permit code execution or persistence. Impact is limited to confidentiality of cross-origin content rendered in the browser session.

Root Cause

The root cause is inappropriate handling of origin boundaries within the DataTransfer implementation on macOS. The component does not correctly validate the source origin against the destination context during user-initiated transfer events. This gap enables data intended for one origin to reach script running under another origin. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for internal tracking details.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a crafted HTML page and lures a Chrome-on-macOS user to visit it. The page presents UI elements engineered to guide the user through gestures such as dragging content or interacting with drop targets. Once the user completes the sequence, the malicious page reads cross-origin data through the mishandled DataTransfer object.

No verified public proof-of-concept is available. Refer to the Google Chrome Desktop Update advisory for vendor-confirmed technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13944

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome browser instances on macOS reporting a version earlier than 150.0.7871.47 in endpoint inventory
Outbound connections from macOS hosts to unfamiliar domains hosting drag-and-drop or clipboard-heavy interactive pages
Browser telemetry showing repeated cross-origin DataTransfer events originating from a single tab

Detection Strategies

Inventory Chrome versions across macOS fleets and flag installations below 150.0.7871.47
Correlate web proxy logs with newly registered domains delivering pages that request user drag or drop gestures
Monitor DNS and HTTP telemetry for user navigation to phishing-adjacent lures that mimic file transfer or interactive puzzle interfaces

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable browser management policies that report installed Chrome versions to a centralized logging platform
Ingest endpoint browser telemetry into a SIEM or data lake for version compliance queries
Alert on macOS endpoints that skip Chrome auto-update cycles beyond vendor-recommended windows

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13944

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on all macOS endpoints to version 150.0.7871.47 or later
Verify that Chrome auto-update is enabled and functioning across the macOS fleet
Communicate user awareness guidance about unsolicited drag-and-drop prompts on untrusted pages

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the Chrome Stable channel update for desktop covering macOS. Install Chrome 150.0.7871.47 or later. Full details are available in the Google Chrome Desktop Update release notes.

Workarounds

Restrict browsing to trusted sites through enterprise web filtering until patching completes
Deploy managed browser policies that block or warn on interactive content from uncategorized domains
Train users to avoid performing drag-and-drop or clipboard actions on unfamiliar web pages

bash

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

# Force Chrome update check via the built-in updater
open -a "Google Chrome" --args --check-for-update-interval=1