CVE-2026-5286 Overview
CVE-2026-5286 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Dawn component of Google Chrome prior to version 146.0.7680.178. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code by convincing a user to visit a specially crafted HTML page. Dawn is Chrome's implementation of the WebGPU API, which provides high-performance graphics and compute capabilities to web applications.
Critical Impact
Remote code execution via malicious web page requiring user interaction. Attackers can execute arbitrary code in the context of the browser process by exploiting memory corruption in the Dawn WebGPU component.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome versions prior to 146.0.7680.178
- Google Chrome on Microsoft Windows
- Google Chrome on Apple macOS
- Google Chrome on Linux
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-04-01 - CVE-2026-5286 published to NVD
- 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-5286
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a memory corruption vulnerability that occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. In the context of Dawn, Chrome's WebGPU implementation, this flaw can be triggered through crafted WebGPU operations embedded in a malicious HTML page.
Use-after-free vulnerabilities in browser graphics components are particularly dangerous because they can be triggered remotely through normal web browsing. The attacker needs only to convince the victim to visit a malicious webpage, at which point the crafted content can manipulate Dawn's memory management to achieve code execution.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper memory lifecycle management in the Dawn WebGPU component. When certain WebGPU objects are deallocated, references to the freed memory are not properly invalidated. Subsequent operations that access these stale references can read or write to memory that has been reallocated for other purposes, leading to memory corruption and potential code execution.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires user interaction—specifically, the victim must navigate to a malicious webpage. The attacker crafts an HTML page containing JavaScript that exercises specific WebGPU API calls through Dawn in a sequence that triggers the use-after-free condition.
Once triggered, the attacker can potentially:
- Corrupt browser memory to achieve arbitrary code execution
- Escape browser sandbox protections in combination with additional exploits
- Compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the user's system
The vulnerability does not require special privileges or prior authentication, making it accessible to any attacker who can host malicious web content or inject content into legitimate pages.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5286
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected browser crashes or instability when visiting unknown websites
- Anomalous WebGPU API usage patterns in browser logs
- Memory access violations or heap corruption errors in Chrome crash reports
- Unusual child process spawning from Chrome browser processes
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for Chrome crash reports indicating heap-use-after-free in Dawn or WebGPU components
- Implement network-level inspection for suspicious JavaScript payloads targeting WebGPU APIs
- Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying exploitation of browser memory corruption
- Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting to identify potential exploitation attempts
Monitoring Recommendations
- Review Chrome version inventory across the organization to identify unpatched installations
- Monitor security feeds for emerging exploitation techniques targeting this vulnerability
- Implement browser-based threat detection to identify malicious WebGPU content
- Track the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for additional technical details
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5286
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 146.0.7680.178 or later immediately
- Enable automatic Chrome updates to ensure timely patching of future vulnerabilities
- Consider temporarily disabling WebGPU functionality if immediate patching is not possible
- Alert users to exercise caution when browsing unfamiliar websites until patching is complete
Patch Information
Google has released Chrome version 146.0.7680.178 which addresses this vulnerability. The security update is available through Chrome's standard update mechanism. Organizations should prioritize deployment of this update given the remote code execution potential.
For detailed information about the security update, see the Google Chrome Update Announcement.
Workarounds
- Disable WebGPU in Chrome by navigating to chrome://flags and setting "Unsafe WebGPU" to Disabled
- Use browser isolation technologies to contain potential exploitation
- Implement web filtering to block access to known malicious domains
- Consider using alternative browsers temporarily for high-risk browsing activities
# Verify Chrome version via command line
# Windows
"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --version
# macOS
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --version
# Linux
google-chrome --version
# Expected output should show 146.0.7680.178 or higher
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
