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CVE-2026-11116
CVE-2026-11116 is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability found in the Chromoting component of Google Chrome. Chromoting is the underlying engine that powers Chrome’s remote desktop capabilities, handling peer‑to‑peer connection setup, signaling, and network data exchange for features like Chrome Remote Desktop. The flaw resides in how the Chromoting subsystem manages memory for incoming network packets on the Stable channel prior to version 149.0.7827.53.
Use‑after‑free errors occur when a program continues to reference a memory region after it has been freed, leaving behind a dangling pointer. An attacker capable of sending malicious network traffic can trigger this vulnerable condition by crafting a specific sequence of signaling packets that forces Chromoting to release an object while a stale reference to it is still active. This dangling pointer can later be reused by the attacker to redirect execution flow. Because the attack vector is network‑based and requires no user interaction beyond the browser receiving the malicious packets, the vulnerability is remotely exploitable.
The exploitation flow follows a classic UAF pattern. Under normal operation, Chromoting allocates an object to track an incoming connection. Due to a race condition or improper cleanup, the object is freed prematurely. The attacker then forces the browser to allocate a new attacker‑controlled buffer in the same memory location, using techniques such as JavaScript array spraying or WebSocket payloads. When the original stale pointer is later dereferenced, the program inadvertently executes the injected data as code, achieving arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser process.
Successful exploitation yields full remote code execution (RCE) with the privileges of the logged‑in user. An attacker could then install malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or pivot to other systems on the network. Although the vulnerability is classified as Medium severity by the Chromium project, third‑party CVSS scores—such as the 8.8 rating from OpenCVE—highlight the potential for total system compromise. The Chromium team addressed the issue in the June 2026 Stable Channel update by adding proper reference counting and validation of memory ownership in the Chromoting packet‑handling code.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: Google Chrome
Version: <149.0.7827.53
Vulnerability: Use‑After‑Free
Severity: Medium (Chromium)
date: 2026‑06‑04
Prediction: 2026‑06‑20
What Undercode Say:
Check current Chrome version google-chrome --version Force update on Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade google-chrome-stable Force update on Windows (run as Admin) "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --version Download latest installer from google.com/chrome Detect vulnerable Chromoting component (simplified check) strings /opt/google/chrome/chromoting | grep -i "version" Block Chromoting network ports (temporary workaround) sudo ufw deny 3478/tcp sudo ufw deny 3478/udp
Exploit:
Triggering the vulnerability requires sending a crafted series of STUN or TURN signaling packets to a target running a vulnerable version of Chrome with Chromoting enabled. The attack flow is:
1. Reconnaissance – The attacker identifies a target running Chrome <149.0.7827.53.
2. Heap Spray – A JavaScript array of Uint8Array objects is populated with a malicious ROP chain and shellcode.
3. UAF Trigger – The attacker forces the browser to initiate a Chromoting session (e.g., by visiting a specially crafted website that invokes `chrome.desktop` APIs).
4. Dangling Pointer Use – Malformed STUN attributes cause premature object deletion while a pointer remains in use.
5. Memory Reclaim – The browser reuses the freed memory region for a new object, which the attacker controls via the heap spray.
6. Code Execution – When the dangling pointer is dereferenced, the browser executes the attacker’s shellcode, bypassing ASLR/DEP via ROP.
7. Post‑exploit – The attacker gains a reverse shell or downloads malware.
Protection:
– Upgrade Chrome to version 149.0.7827.53 or later immediately.
– Disable Chromoting if not needed: in `chrome://settings/` → “Advanced” → “Remote Desktop” → toggle off.
– Apply enterprise policy to block Chromoting: set `RemoteAccessHostFirewallTraversal` to `false` in Group Policy.
– Use network filtering to block port 3478 (TCP/UDP) used by STUN/TURN for Chromoting signaling.
– Enable Chrome’s built‑in Site Isolation (chrome://flags/enable-site-per-process) to contain renderer‑level exploits.
Impact:
Successful exploitation leads to remote code execution within the browser process, which typically runs with user‑level privileges. An attacker could:
– Install persistent backdoors or ransomware.
– Steal passwords, cookies, and local files.
– Use the compromised browser as a pivot point to attack internal networks.
– Escalate to kernel‑level access if chained with a separate sandbox escape or privilege escalation bug.
Given that Chromoting is enabled by default and the attack requires no user interaction beyond receiving network packets, this vulnerability poses a critical risk in multi‑user environments and on systems exposed to untrusted networks.
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Sources:
Reported By: nvd.nist.gov
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