Chrome CVE-2026-5289

Google Chrome versions prior to 146.0.7680.178. Requires attacker to first compromise the Chrome renderer process, then trick the victim into opening a crafted HTML page. Escalates sandbox restrictions to achieve code execution outside sandbox.

Despite the absence of a CVSS score, multiple factors indicate meaningful but conditional risk. The Chromium severity rating of 'High' reflects the technical impact-sandbox escape is a critical sandbox boundary violation in a multi-process browser. However, the attack vector requires a pre-compromised renderer process, meaning this is a follow-up exploit rather than a direct entry point; an attacker must first achieve code execution in the renderer via separate vulnerability (e.g., JavaScript engine flaw, DOM confusion). The tag 'Denial Of Service' alongside memory corruption suggests variable exploitation outcomes depending on heap state. No EPSS score or KEV status provided; exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified from available intelligence. This is a real priority for defense-in-depth (preventing sandbox escapes is critical) but not for systems where renderer compromise is already mitigated. Organizations should prioritize patching as part of standard Chrome update cycles.

An attacker first compromises the Chrome renderer process through a separate vulnerability (e.g., JavaScript engine flaw), gaining code execution within the sandboxed renderer context. The attacker then crafts a malicious HTML page loaded in that renderer that triggers the use-after-free condition in the Navigation component, causing a pointer to already-freed memory to be dereferenced. By controlling heap layout via the HTML payload, the attacker overwrites the freed memory region with controlled data, hijacking execution to escape the renderer sandbox and execute arbitrary code in the browser process with full system privileges. No public exploit code or active exploitation detected in available intelligence; this is likely to remain low-priority for threat actors until renderer-compromise exploits are publicly weaponized in combination.