CVE-2026-7982 Overview
CVE-2026-7982 is an uninitialized memory use vulnerability in the WebCodecs component of Google Chrome versions prior to 148.0.7778.96. A remote attacker can leverage a crafted HTML page to read potentially sensitive information from process memory. The flaw is tracked under CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable and was rated Medium severity by the Chromium security team. Exploitation requires user interaction, typically by enticing a victim to visit an attacker-controlled web page. Successful exploitation does not yield code execution, but it can leak data from the renderer process address space, including secrets that may aid follow-on attacks.
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can disclose sensitive information from Chrome renderer process memory by serving a crafted HTML page that abuses the WebCodecs API.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome prior to 148.0.7778.96 on Microsoft Windows
- Google Chrome prior to 148.0.7778.96 on Apple macOS
- Google Chrome prior to 148.0.7778.96 on Linux
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-06 - CVE CVE-2026-7982 published to NVD
- 2026-05-06 - Last updated in NVD database
- Patch Release - Google publishes Chrome 148.0.7778.96 via the Stable Channel Update for Desktop
Technical Details for CVE-2026-7982
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in WebCodecs, the Chromium API that provides low-level access to built-in audio and video codecs from JavaScript. WebCodecs handles encoded media frames through VideoDecoder, AudioDecoder, VideoEncoder, and AudioEncoder interfaces. Under specific conditions, the implementation reads a variable or memory region before it has been initialized. The disclosed bytes can include stack data, heap remnants, or pointer values from prior allocations within the renderer process. An attacker who can place this data into a VideoFrame, AudioData, or similar structure can read it back through standard JavaScript APIs.
Root Cause
The root cause is classified as CWE-457, Use of Uninitialized Variable. The WebCodecs code path consumes memory whose contents were never set by the program, exposing residual bytes to attacker-controlled JavaScript. Additional technical context is tracked in the Chromium Issue Tracker entry 497952533.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is network-based and requires user interaction. The attacker hosts a malicious page that uses the WebCodecs API to instantiate decoder or encoder objects, feed crafted media buffers, and read back fields that contain uninitialized data. Because the read occurs inside the sandboxed renderer, the leaked memory is bounded to that process. However, leaked content can include cross-origin resources cached in the renderer, JavaScript engine internals, or pointer values that defeat Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and assist subsequent exploits.
No public proof-of-concept code is currently available for CVE-2026-7982. Refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker for upstream technical detail once access restrictions are lifted.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-7982
Indicators of Compromise
- Chrome browser processes running versions earlier than 148.0.7778.96 on Windows, macOS, or Linux endpoints.
- Outbound web traffic to untrusted domains immediately followed by uploads of opaque binary blobs that may represent leaked memory.
- HTML pages that aggressively instantiate VideoDecoder or AudioDecoder objects and POST decoded frame metadata back to remote servers.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Chrome installations through endpoint telemetry and flag any host running a version below 148.0.7778.96.
- Hunt for browser child processes loading suspicious URLs followed by anomalous network egress patterns.
- Correlate browser exploitation telemetry with subsequent process behavior, since memory disclosure is often a precursor to a code-execution chain.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enforce a managed Chrome update policy and alert on devices that fall behind the published Stable channel build.
- Monitor enterprise web proxies for repeated visits to newly registered or low-reputation domains hosting media-heavy JavaScript payloads.
- Track WebCodecs feature usage in security-relevant audit logs where browser instrumentation supports it.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-7982
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 148.0.7778.96 or later on all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
- Restart Chrome after the update so the patched binaries are loaded into running sessions.
- Validate update compliance through your endpoint management platform and remediate stragglers.
- Review browser extension inventories and remove unmaintained extensions that may broaden the attack surface.
Patch Information
Google addressed CVE-2026-7982 in Chrome 148.0.7778.96 for the Desktop Stable channel. Details are published in the Chrome Releases blog. Chromium-based browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi, typically inherit the same fix once they rebase on the patched Chromium version. Apply vendor-specific updates as they ship.
Workarounds
- Block access to untrusted web content via enterprise proxy categorization until all endpoints are patched.
- Disable the WebCodecs API for high-risk users through enterprise policies or site isolation rules where supported.
- Use Chrome enterprise policies to restrict execution of JavaScript on untrusted origins for sensitive workstations.
# Example: enforce minimum Chrome version on Linux via package manager
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade google-chrome-stable
google-chrome --version # verify >= 148.0.7778.96
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
