CVE-2026-7897: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2026-7897 Overview

CVE-2026-7897 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Mobile component of Google Chrome on iOS prior to version 148.0.7778.96. A remote attacker who convinces a user to perform specific UI gestures can execute arbitrary code through a crafted HTML page. Chromium classifies the security severity of this issue as Critical, while the assigned CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5. The flaw is tracked under CWE-416 (Use After Free) and affects Google Chrome running on Apple iOS.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution within the Chrome renderer on iOS after a user is tricked into performing specific UI interactions on a malicious page.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome on iOS prior to 148.0.7778.96
• Apple iPhone OS (iOS) running vulnerable Chrome builds
• Mobile component of the Chromium browser engine

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-05-06 - CVE-2026-7897 published to the National Vulnerability Database
• 2026-05-06 - Last updated in the NVD database
• 2026-05 - Google publishes the Stable Channel Update addressing the issue

Technical Details for CVE-2026-7897

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw resides in the Mobile subsystem of Google Chrome on iOS. A use-after-free condition occurs when the browser dereferences a heap object that has already been released. An attacker leverages this dangling reference to corrupt memory and steer execution toward attacker-controlled code paths within the renderer process.

Exploitation requires user interaction. The advisory specifies that the victim must engage in specific UI gestures while viewing a crafted HTML page. This interaction requirement raises attack complexity but does not eliminate practical risk on widely deployed mobile devices.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in code paths tied to mobile UI handling. A pointer continues to reference memory after the underlying object is freed. When the freed allocation is later reused, the stale pointer enables read or write access to attacker-influenced data, which is the precondition for arbitrary code execution under CWE-416.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based. An attacker hosts or injects a crafted HTML page and lures the victim to load it in Chrome on iOS. The victim then performs the specific UI gestures required to trigger the vulnerable code path. Once triggered, the use-after-free yields high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected browser process.

No public proof-of-concept exploit, ExploitDB entry, or CISA KEV listing is associated with this CVE at the time of publication. Refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker entry for upstream technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-7897

Indicators of Compromise

• Chrome on iOS clients running versions earlier than 148.0.7778.96 while reachable on the network
• Browser crash reports referencing the Mobile component or renderer process termination after visiting untrusted pages
• Outbound connections from mobile endpoints to newly registered or low-reputation domains hosting unsolicited HTML payloads

Detection Strategies

• Inventory installed Chrome versions across managed iOS fleets and flag any build below 148.0.7778.96
• Inspect mobile device management (MDM) telemetry for app version compliance and forced-update events
• Monitor web proxy and DNS logs for users navigating to suspicious URLs immediately preceding browser crash events

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward Chrome crash and version telemetry from MDM into your SIEM for correlation with browsing activity
• Alert on repeated renderer crashes on the same device, which may indicate exploitation attempts against memory-corruption flaws
• Track update adoption rates and escalate devices that fail to receive the patched Chrome release within defined SLAs

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-7897

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome on iOS to version 148.0.7778.96 or later through the Apple App Store
• Push the update through MDM where possible to ensure rapid coverage of managed iPhones and iPads
• Communicate the risk to end users and instruct them to avoid untrusted links until patching is confirmed

Patch Information

Google addressed the vulnerability in Chrome 148.0.7778.96 for iOS. Refer to the Google Chrome Update Blog for the official release notes and to the Chromium Issue Tracker entry for upstream tracking. Verify the installed build on each device matches or exceeds the fixed version.

Workarounds

• Use an alternate, fully patched browser on iOS until Chrome is updated to 148.0.7778.96 or later
• Restrict access to untrusted websites through enterprise web filtering on mobile devices
• Educate users to avoid performing prompted UI gestures on unsolicited or unfamiliar web pages