CVE-2026-13965: Google Chrome Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-13965 Overview

CVE-2026-13965 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Oilpan garbage collector component of Google Chrome. Versions of Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.47 are affected. A remote attacker can execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome sandbox by luring a user to a crafted HTML page. The flaw is classified under CWE-416: Use After Free and requires user interaction to trigger. Google rated the Chromium security severity as Medium, while the NVD assigned it a HIGH rating based on the CVSS impact metrics.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution within the Chrome renderer sandbox, providing a foothold for further exploitation such as sandbox escape chains.

Affected Products

Google Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47
Chromium-based browsers integrating the affected Oilpan garbage collector
Desktop Stable channel of Google Chrome (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-13965 published to NVD
2026-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13965

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Oilpan, the garbage collector used by Blink for managing C++ objects on the heap. Oilpan tracks live objects through a set of managed pointers and reclaims memory when references are dropped. A use-after-free condition occurs when code retains and dereferences a pointer to an Oilpan-managed object after the garbage collector has reclaimed the underlying memory.

An attacker who controls the freed memory region can place a crafted object where the original was located. When the stale pointer is dereferenced, execution flows through attacker-controlled data. This typically leads to arbitrary code execution inside the renderer process. The renderer sandbox limits direct system impact, but attackers frequently chain such flaws with sandbox escapes to achieve full compromise.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper lifetime management of Oilpan-managed objects [CWE-416]. Object references escape the tracing scope of the garbage collector, allowing memory to be freed while a dangling reference remains reachable. Subsequent access reads or writes freed memory.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a victim to visit a malicious or compromised web page. The crafted HTML triggers the specific object allocation and freeing sequence that produces the dangling reference. No authentication is required, and the attack proceeds over the network with low complexity but requires user interaction to load the page.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at the time of publication, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Technical details are tracked in the Chromium Issue Tracker #513737952.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13965

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by chrome.exe or the renderer process following a browsing session
Renderer process crashes referencing Oilpan or Blink garbage collector frames in crash telemetry
Outbound connections from Chrome renderer processes to unfamiliar domains hosting HTML payloads
Chrome versions below 150.0.7871.47 reported by endpoint inventory scans

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across the fleet and flag any build older than 150.0.7871.47
Monitor endpoint telemetry for anomalous behavior originating from Chrome renderer processes, including unexpected memory allocation patterns or process injection attempts
Correlate web proxy logs with visits to newly registered or low-reputation domains delivering large or obfuscated HTML/JavaScript payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest Chrome crash reports and search for stack traces referencing Oilpan, cppgc, or Blink heap functions
Track browser update compliance through configuration management tooling and alert on stale installations
Enable behavioral monitoring on endpoints to identify post-exploitation activity such as suspicious child processes or credential access attempts following browser sessions

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13965

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 150.0.7871.47 or later on all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints
Restart Chrome after the update to ensure the patched binaries are loaded
Verify update deployment across managed endpoints using enterprise policy or configuration management tooling
Prioritize patching for high-risk users such as executives, developers, and administrators

Patch Information

Google released a fix in the Chrome Stable channel. Details are available in the Google Chrome Stable Update advisory. Chromium-based browsers should apply upstream fixes as vendors publish downstream releases.

Workarounds

Enforce automatic updates through Chrome Enterprise policy to reduce exposure windows for future browser flaws
Restrict browsing to trusted domains using web filtering or DNS-based controls until patching is confirmed
Deploy site isolation and strict sandbox policies, which are enabled by default in modern Chrome builds, to limit renderer compromise impact
Educate users to avoid clicking untrusted links, since exploitation requires loading a crafted HTML page

bash

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

# Force update check via Chrome Enterprise policy (Windows registry example)
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Update" /v UpdateDefault /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f