CVE-2026-5902 Overview
CVE-2026-5902 is a race condition vulnerability in the Media component of Google Chrome on Android. This flaw exists in versions prior to 147.0.7727.55 and allows a remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process to corrupt media stream metadata through a crafted HTML page. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization).
Critical Impact
An attacker with control over the renderer process can exploit this race condition to corrupt media stream metadata, potentially leading to unexpected browser behavior or information integrity issues.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome on Android versions prior to 147.0.7727.55
- Chromium-based browsers on Android using vulnerable Media component versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-04-08 - CVE-2026-5902 published to NVD
- 2026-04-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-5902
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability exists in Google Chrome's Media component on Android platforms. The flaw stems from improper synchronization when handling concurrent operations on media stream resources. When the renderer process has been compromised, an attacker can exploit timing windows in the media handling code to corrupt metadata associated with media streams.
The attack requires a precondition where the attacker has already gained control of the renderer process through a separate exploit. From this position, the attacker can craft malicious HTML content that triggers race conditions in how Chrome processes media streams, leading to metadata corruption.
Chromium has rated this vulnerability with "Low" security severity, indicating that while the vulnerability is exploitable, it requires significant prerequisites (renderer compromise) and has limited direct impact.
Root Cause
The root cause is a race condition (CWE-362) in the Media component's handling of concurrent operations. The vulnerability occurs when shared media stream metadata resources are accessed without proper synchronization primitives, creating a Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) window that can be exploited to corrupt data integrity.
Attack Vector
The attack scenario requires the following conditions:
- The attacker must first compromise the Chrome renderer process through a separate vulnerability
- Once the renderer is compromised, the attacker serves or injects a crafted HTML page
- The malicious page triggers concurrent media operations that exploit the race condition
- The race condition allows corruption of media stream metadata
The exploitation is remote in nature but requires the renderer process to be compromised first, significantly raising the barrier to successful exploitation. The attacker leverages the race condition to manipulate timing between concurrent media operations, allowing unauthorized modification of metadata structures.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5902
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or instability in Chrome's media playback functionality on Android devices
- Anomalous renderer process behavior when handling media streams
- Unusual media stream metadata corruption or inconsistencies in Chrome logs
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Chrome browser version across Android endpoints to identify installations running versions prior to 147.0.7727.55
- Implement browser version policy enforcement to ensure timely updates
- Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying renderer process anomalies
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable Chrome crash reporting to identify potential exploitation attempts
- Monitor for unusual patterns in media stream handling on Android devices
- Implement centralized browser telemetry collection for enterprise environments
- Review Chrome DevTools logs for media-related errors or warnings
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5902
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome on Android to version 147.0.7727.55 or later immediately
- Enable automatic updates for Chrome on all managed Android devices
- Review enterprise mobile device management (MDM) policies to enforce browser updates
Patch Information
Google has addressed this vulnerability in Chrome version 147.0.7727.55. The fix implements proper synchronization for media stream metadata operations, eliminating the race condition. Organizations should update to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability.
For detailed patch information, refer to:
Workarounds
- Prioritize patching as the primary remediation; no official workarounds are provided by the vendor
- Reduce exposure by limiting browsing to trusted sites on unpatched devices
- Consider temporarily restricting media-heavy websites on vulnerable Android Chrome installations
- Implement network-level controls to filter potentially malicious HTML content
# Verify Chrome version on Android via ADB
adb shell dumpsys package com.android.chrome | grep versionName
# Expected output for patched version: versionName=147.0.7727.55 or higher
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
