CVE-2026-4464: Google Chrome ANGLE RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-4464 Overview

CVE-2026-4464 is an integer overflow vulnerability discovered in the ANGLE (Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine) component of Google Chrome prior to version 146.0.7680.153. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption through a crafted HTML page. ANGLE is a critical component that translates OpenGL ES API calls to hardware-supported APIs, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it could be triggered simply by visiting a malicious website.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this integer overflow to cause heap corruption, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser process. User interaction is required (visiting a malicious page), but no special privileges are needed to exploit this vulnerability.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome prior to version 146.0.7680.153
• Google Chrome on Microsoft Windows
• Google Chrome on Apple macOS
• Google Chrome on Linux

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-20 - CVE-2026-4464 published to NVD
• 2026-03-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-4464

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from an integer overflow condition in the ANGLE graphics translation layer. ANGLE serves as a compatibility layer that allows WebGL and other graphics content to run across different platforms by translating OpenGL ES calls to DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan, or Metal depending on the underlying platform.

The integer overflow occurs during arithmetic operations involving graphics buffer calculations. When specially crafted input is processed, the integer overflow leads to an incorrectly sized memory allocation, which subsequently results in heap corruption when the undersized buffer is written to with more data than it can hold.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound) and CWE-472 (External Control of Assumed-Immutable Web Parameter). An attacker can trigger this condition remotely by convincing a user to visit a malicious webpage containing specially crafted WebGL or graphics content.

Root Cause

The root cause is an integer overflow vulnerability in ANGLE's buffer size calculations. When processing graphics rendering instructions, ANGLE performs arithmetic operations on user-controlled values to determine buffer sizes. If these calculations overflow, the resulting buffer allocation is smaller than expected, creating a heap-based buffer overflow condition when subsequent write operations occur.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring user interaction. An attacker can host malicious content on a website or inject it into compromised legitimate sites. When a victim navigates to the page using a vulnerable version of Chrome, the malicious HTML page triggers the integer overflow in ANGLE through crafted WebGL or Canvas API calls. This can corrupt heap memory structures, potentially allowing the attacker to achieve code execution within the browser's sandbox.

The exploitation mechanism involves:

1. Crafting specific WebGL shader programs or graphics operations
2. Triggering integer overflow during buffer size calculations in ANGLE
3. Causing heap corruption through out-of-bounds memory writes
4. Leveraging heap corruption to potentially achieve code execution

For detailed technical analysis, see the Chromium Issue Tracker #487208468.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4464

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Chrome renderer process crashes, particularly when viewing graphics-heavy content
• Anomalous memory allocation patterns in browser processes
• Browser stability issues when accessing WebGL-enabled websites
• Crash reports indicating heap corruption in GPU-related processes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Chrome versions below 146.0.7680.153 across enterprise environments
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify exploitation attempts targeting ANGLE
• Implement browser version compliance checks as part of vulnerability management
• Review browser crash telemetry for patterns consistent with heap corruption exploits

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome crash reporting and analyze crash dumps for ANGLE-related exceptions
• Monitor network traffic for known malicious domains serving graphics-based exploits
• Implement SentinelOne endpoint protection to detect exploitation attempts in real-time
• Track browser version inventory to ensure timely patching across all endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4464

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 146.0.7680.153 or later immediately
• Enable automatic Chrome updates across all managed endpoints
• Consider temporarily disabling WebGL if updates cannot be immediately deployed
• Review and restrict access to untrusted websites until patching is complete

Patch Information

Google has released Chrome version 146.0.7680.153 which addresses this vulnerability. The fix resolves the integer overflow condition in ANGLE by implementing proper bounds checking on arithmetic operations used in buffer size calculations.

Detailed information about the security update is available in the Google Chrome Update Announcement.

Organizations should prioritize deployment of this update across all platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux) where Chrome is installed.

Workarounds

• Disable WebGL in Chrome by navigating to chrome://flags and disabling WebGL flags as a temporary measure
• Implement network-level blocking of known malicious domains
• Use browser isolation technologies to contain potential exploitation attempts
• Configure enterprise policies to restrict access to high-risk websites until patching is complete

# Chrome Enterprise Policy Example - Disable WebGL temporarily
# Add to Chrome policy configuration
{
  "WebGLAllowed": false
}

# Verify Chrome version via command line
google-chrome --version
# Should report version 146.0.7680.153 or higher