CVE-2026-3062: Google Chrome RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-3062 Overview

CVE-2026-3062 is a critical out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability affecting the Tint shader compiler component in Google Chrome on macOS. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 145.0.7632.116 and can be exploited by a remote attacker through a crafted HTML page, enabling unauthorized out-of-bounds memory access. This memory corruption flaw could allow attackers to read sensitive data from memory or modify memory contents, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the browser's sandboxed environment.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability via malicious web pages to perform out-of-bounds memory operations, potentially compromising browser integrity and user data confidentiality.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 145.0.7632.116 on macOS
• Google Chrome versions prior to 145.0.7632.116 on Windows
• Google Chrome versions prior to 145.0.7632.116 on Linux

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-23 - CVE-2026-3062 published to NVD
• 2026-02-25 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-3062

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability resides in Tint, Google Chrome's shader compiler used for WebGPU. Tint is responsible for translating WGSL (WebGPU Shading Language) shaders into platform-specific shader languages like Metal (macOS), HLSL (Windows), and SPIR-V (Linux/Android). The out-of-bounds read and write condition (CWE-125) occurs when processing specially crafted shader code, allowing memory operations beyond allocated buffer boundaries.

The flaw enables both read and write operations outside intended memory regions. Out-of-bounds reads can leak sensitive information from process memory, while out-of-bounds writes can corrupt adjacent memory structures. In a browser context, successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass security mechanisms, leak cryptographic keys or session tokens, or achieve code execution within the renderer process.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from improper boundary validation in Tint's shader compilation pipeline. When processing certain shader constructs, the compiler fails to adequately verify array indices or buffer offsets before performing memory operations. This allows attacker-controlled input in malicious shader code to manipulate memory access patterns beyond safe boundaries. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), though it also enables write operations, indicating a broader memory safety issue in the affected code paths.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. An attacker can craft an HTML page containing WebGPU shader code that triggers the vulnerable code path in Tint. When a victim navigates to the malicious page, Chrome's rendering engine processes the shader, invoking the vulnerable Tint compiler.

The exploitation flow involves embedding malicious WGSL shader code within JavaScript that utilizes the WebGPU API. The crafted shader contains constructs that cause Tint to perform out-of-bounds memory operations during compilation. The vulnerability can be triggered through legitimate-looking websites or via malicious advertisements, making drive-by exploitation feasible.

For technical details on the vulnerability, refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry once it becomes publicly accessible.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-3062

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Chrome renderer process crashes with memory access violation errors
• Crash dumps indicating memory corruption in Tint or WebGPU-related components
• Anomalous WebGPU API calls detected in browser telemetry
• Evidence of unauthorized memory reads in process memory dumps

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Chrome crash reports referencing Tint shader compilation or WebGPU components
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify unusual GPU process behavior patterns
• Implement network inspection for pages containing suspicious WebGPU shader code
• Use browser telemetry to identify abnormal shader compilation patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome's crash reporting and monitor for Tint-related crash signatures
• Deploy SentinelOne Singularity Platform for real-time behavioral analysis of browser processes
• Monitor system logs for unusual memory allocation patterns from Chrome renderer processes
• Implement web filtering to block known malicious domains targeting browser vulnerabilities

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-3062

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 145.0.7632.116 or later immediately
• Enable automatic updates in Chrome to receive security patches promptly
• Consider temporarily disabling WebGPU in enterprise environments until patching is complete
• Review and restrict access to untrusted websites in high-security environments

Patch Information

Google has released Chrome version 145.0.7632.116 which addresses this vulnerability. The update is available through Chrome's automatic update mechanism and can be manually triggered via chrome://settings/help. Enterprise administrators can deploy the update through Google's enterprise management tools.

For detailed patch information, see the Google Chrome Update announcement.

Workarounds

• Disable WebGPU via Chrome flags (chrome://flags/#enable-unsafe-webgpu) as a temporary measure
• Implement web filtering policies to restrict access to untrusted sites
• Use browser isolation technologies for high-risk browsing activities
• Deploy network-level content inspection to filter potentially malicious WebGPU content

# Disable WebGPU via Chrome command line (temporary workaround)
# Linux/macOS
google-chrome --disable-features=Vulkan,SkiaGraphite --disable-gpu-shader-disk-cache

# Windows
"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --disable-features=Vulkan,SkiaGraphite --disable-gpu-shader-disk-cache

# Enterprise Policy (Chrome JSON config)
# Add to managed policies to disable WebGPU
# { "WebGPUEnabled": false }