CVE-2026-14032: Chrome Bluetooth Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-14032 Overview

CVE-2026-14032 is a use-after-free vulnerability [CWE-416] in the Bluetooth component of Google Chrome on macOS. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 150.0.7871.47. An attacker who convinces a user to install a malicious Chrome extension can trigger the condition and execute arbitrary code within the browser process.

Exploitation requires user interaction to install a crafted extension. The Chromium project rated the security severity as Low, but the CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects the code execution impact and network attack surface. No public exploit or in-the-wild activity has been reported.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the Chrome renderer or browser process on macOS through a malicious extension leveraging the Bluetooth API.

Affected Products

Google Chrome for macOS versions prior to 150.0.7871.47
Chromium-based browsers on macOS that inherit the vulnerable Bluetooth code path
Environments where users can install arbitrary Chrome extensions from untrusted sources

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-30 - CVE-2026-14032 published to NVD
2026-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-14032

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition [CWE-416] in Chrome's Bluetooth subsystem on macOS. Use-after-free bugs occur when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. An attacker who controls the freed memory region can shape the heap so that reused allocations contain attacker-controlled data, including function pointers or C++ vtable references.

In this case, the trigger path runs through the Chrome Extension APIs that interact with the Web Bluetooth stack. A malicious extension can invoke Bluetooth device or service operations that release an internal object while a dangling reference is still used by subsequent JavaScript-driven calls. Because Bluetooth handlers run inside privileged browser components, successful memory corruption can translate into arbitrary code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in the macOS-specific Bluetooth implementation. A referenced object is freed before all consumers relinquish their pointers, leaving a stale reference reachable from extension-triggered code paths. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for the upstream defect record.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-reachable but requires the victim to install a malicious extension. Once installed, the extension issues a sequence of Bluetooth API calls that reach the vulnerable code path without further user interaction. The high attack complexity reflects the need to reliably win the free/use race and control the reclaimed allocation on macOS. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the browser session.

No verified proof-of-concept code has been published. Technical details are available via the Google Chrome Stable Update announcement.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-14032

Indicators of Compromise

Installation of unsigned or unknown Chrome extensions requesting the bluetooth permission in the extension manifest
Chrome renderer or browser process crashes on macOS referencing Bluetooth stack frames in crash dumps
Unexpected child processes spawned by Google Chrome.app following extension activity
Outbound connections from Chrome to attacker-controlled command-and-control endpoints shortly after extension installation

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome extensions across managed macOS endpoints and flag any not sourced from the enterprise allowlist
Alert on Chrome versions below 150.0.7871.47 reported by endpoint telemetry or software inventory
Monitor macOS ReportCrash output and Chrome crash pads for device::BluetoothAdapter or related frames
Correlate extension installation events with subsequent anomalous process or network behavior from the browser

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Chrome enterprise reporting to forward extension install, update, and permission events to the SIEM
Track Web Bluetooth API usage in environments where Bluetooth is not a required workflow
Baseline Chrome process behavior on macOS fleets and alert on deviations such as unexpected code signing violations

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-14032

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome on all macOS endpoints to version 150.0.7871.47 or later
Audit installed Chrome extensions and remove any that are unapproved or request Bluetooth permissions without justification
Enforce an extension allowlist via ExtensionInstallAllowlist and block sideloading with ExtensionInstallBlocklist
Restart Chrome after patch deployment to ensure the vulnerable process is no longer resident

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the Chrome Stable channel update for desktop. Upgrade to Chrome 150.0.7871.47 or newer on macOS. Refer to the Google Chrome Stable Update release notes for the full advisory.

Workarounds

Disable the Web Bluetooth API in managed environments using the DefaultWebBluetoothGuardSetting enterprise policy set to 2 (block)
Restrict Chrome extension installation to the Chrome Web Store and enterprise-published extensions only
Educate users to reject prompts that request Bluetooth device access from untrusted pages or extensions

bash

# Configuration example: block Web Bluetooth via Chrome enterprise policy on macOS
defaults write com.google.Chrome DefaultWebBluetoothGuardSetting -int 2
defaults write com.google.Chrome ExtensionInstallSources -array "https://chrome.google.com/webstore/*"