Chinese Hackers Exploit Chrome-Windows Zero-Day Chain to Deploy CLEANGULP Malware
Chinese actor UTA0565 chains three Chrome and Windows zero-days via fake NGO media sites to drop CLEANGULP backdoor malware on Asian government targets.
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CVE-2026-87491
Actively Exploited Out-of-Bounds Write in Google Chrome V8
CISA: Google Chromium V8 Out of Bounds Write Vulnerability
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 high
- EPSS
- 4%p89
- Published
- ·
- Added to KEV
AI analysisSummaries by Vani AI
CVE-2026-87491 is an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) in the V8 JavaScript engine in Google Chrome, fixed in Chrome 153.0.8010.36, which Google shipped alongside roughly 230 other security fixes. An attacker can trigger the flaw remotely by luring a user (user interaction required) into opening a crafted HTML page that corrupts memory in V8. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome browser sandbox, which constrains but does not eliminate the impact. All Google Chrome users running versions prior to 153.0.8010.36 are affected; because the flaw resides in V8, CISA tracks it as 'Google Chromium V8', and other Chromium-based browsers may inherit the fix in their own updates. The flaw is being actively exploited in the wild — it is the seventh actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026 and was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2026-09-09 — though no public proof-of-concept is known and ransomware use is unknown.
What to do: Update Google Chrome to 153.0.8010.36 or later immediately (open Help > About Google Chrome to force the update and relaunch), and verify the version on all endpoints. Also patch headless or automated Chrome deployments (CI runners, scrapers, kiosks, CDP-based tooling) that may lag auto-updates, and prioritize remediation per CISA KEV and BOD 26-04 requirements for federal systems. No public PoC is known and ransomware use is unknown, but confirmed in-the-wild exploitation warrants urgent patching.
| Product | Affected |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome (V8 JavaScript engine; tracked by CISA as 'Google Chromium V8') | prior to 153.0.8010.36 |
Estimated exposure
massbillions of installations (Chrome's install base exceeds 3 billion users) — Chrome holds roughly two-thirds of global browser usage share with a multi-billion-user install base, so the number of potentially affected endpoints is in the billions, though rapid auto-updates shrink the persistently vulnerable window.
Order-of-magnitude estimate by the model from install counts, market share and public scan data it knows; verify before quoting.
Description · NVD
Out of bounds write in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 153.0.8010.36 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
KEVCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability
- Affected
- Google Chromium V8
- Required action
- Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
- Due date
- Ransomware use
- Unknown
In the news
20 storiesVolexity spots another China-aligned threat group exploiting Chrome and Microsoft defects
Volexity says China-linked UTA0565 exploited Chrome and Windows zero-days against Asian governments.
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BlueMoon Exploit Kit Chains Recent Chrome, Windows Zero-Days
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Chinese espionage groups swarm to exploit triple-link chain of zero-days
At least four China-aligned espionage groups chained three zero-days in Chromium browsers and Windows ALPC for espionage since late August.
88
Chinese APT Clones Legitimate Websites to Deliver Chrome and Windows Zero-Day Exploits
Volexity links third Chinese actor UTA0565 to typosquatted phishing sites chaining Chrome and Windows zero-days to deploy CLEANGULP backdoor.
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One Exploit Chain, Two Espionage Campaigns: Chrome and Windows Under Fire
Two China-linked APT groups reused identical Chrome/Windows zero-day chain against NGOs, deploying GRIMWIDGE backdoor and LONGTALE credential-stealing extension.
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China-Linked Hackers Exploit Chrome-Windows Zero-Day Chain to Deploy GRIMWEDGE
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China-Linked Hackers Chain Chrome Zero-Day With Windows Kernel Flaw in Attacks
Volexity reports China-linked UTA0560 and JungleBamboo chained Chrome zero-day CVE-2026-85046 with kernel flaws to spy on NGOs.
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New 'BlueMoon' kit exploited Windows and Chrome zero-day flaws
Multiple China-linked espionage groups share the BlueMoon exploit kit chaining Chrome V8 zero-days and a Windows ALPC LPE to deploy backdoors.
85
Chinese espionage groups swarm to exploit triple-link chain of zero-days
Four China-aligned espionage groups, starting with TA412/APT31, chained zero-days CVE-2026-85046, CVE-2026-87491 and CVE-2026-85880 to spy on targets since late August.
85
Google fixes the seventh actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026
Google patched 230 Chrome flaws in version 153.0.8010.36, including actively exploited V8 out-of-bounds write CVE-2026-87491 (CVSS 8.8), the seventh 2026 Chrome zero-day.
85
U.S. CISA adds Cisco, Google Chromium V8, Fortinet, and Citrix NetScaler flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
CISA added actively exploited Cisco FMC, Chrome V8, Fortinet and Citrix NetScaler flaws to its KEV catalog, ordering federal patching by September 12.
84
Attackers are weaponizing the gap between Chromium fixes and Chrome patches
Espionage actors use the BlueMoon exploit kit to chain Chrome V8 and Windows kernel zero-days via spear phishing, gaining full admin on unpatched endpoints.
82
Chrome V8 Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild Enables Code Execution Inside Sandbox
Google patches actively exploited Chrome V8 zero-day CVE-2026-87491, an out-of-bounds write enabling sandboxed code execution via crafted HTML pages.
82
Google Chrome 153 Released With 230 Security Fixes and Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild
Google released Chrome 153 with 230 security fixes, patching CVE-2026-87491, a V8 out-of-bounds write zero-day actively exploited in the wild.
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Google Chrome Zero-day Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild (CVE-2026-87491)
Google patched actively exploited Chrome V8 out-of-bounds write CVE-2026-87491; CISA added it to KEV with a September 23 patch deadline.
80
Google fixes yet another actively exploited Chrome zero-day (CVE-2026-87491)
Google patched actively exploited Chrome zero-day CVE-2026-87491, a V8 out-of-bounds write enabling sandboxed code execution, in Chrome 153.0.8010.36+.
80
Google security advisory (AV26-904)
Google patches Chrome CVE-2026-87491, exploited in the wild and added to CISA's KEV; users should update to 153.0.8010.37.
79
Google Pixel phones pwned in zero-click attacks
CISA added actively exploited zero-click Pixel modem flaw CVE-2026-58704 to its KEV catalog, giving federal agencies three days to patch.
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Chrome 153 Fixes 230 Vulnerabilities, Including One 0-Day Exploited in the Wild
Google shipped Chrome 153 with 230 fixes, including CVE-2026-87491, a V8 out-of-bounds write zero-day exploited in the wild.
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