Two critical Chrome flaws put users at risk on malicious websites
Google patched 26 Chrome flaws, including two critical use-after-frees and an actively exploited V8 sandbox escape (CVE-2026-85046); update to 152.0.7977.82/.83.
Chrome's desktop update fixes 26 security issues, including critical use-after-free flaws CVE-2026-84353 in Shared Tab Groups and CVE-2026-84352 in WebGL, both allowing code execution outside the browser sandbox via crafted HTML pages. Google subsequently patched CVE-2026-85046, a high-severity V8 JavaScript engine flaw with exploits already in the wild that enables arbitrary code execution inside the Chrome sandbox; HKCERT rates the overall risk as extremely high. Fixed versions are 152.0.7977.82/.83 on Windows and Mac and 152.0.7977.82 on Linux.
- CVE-2026-84353 (Shared Tab Groups) and CVE-2026-84352 (WebGL) are critical use-after-free flaws enabling sandbox-escaping code execution.
- CVE-2026-85046 in V8 is high severity and actively exploited via crafted HTML pages.
- Fixed in Chrome 152.0.7977.82/.83 (Windows/Mac) and 152.0.7977.82 (Linux); 26 fixes total.
- Users should force an update via Settings > About Chrome and restart the browser.
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-84352 +1 in the same advisory: …84353 | Use-after-free in WebGL in Chrome for Android allows out-of-sandbox code execution CVE-2026-84352 is a use-after-free memory-safety flaw (CWE-416) in the WebGL component of Google Chrome on Android, rated Critical with a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.6. It is triggered when a remote attacker persuades a user to open a specially crafted HTML page in the vulnerable browser. Successful exploitation lets the attacker execute arbitrary code outside the browser's sandbox, meaning the compromise is not limited to the renderer process and could yield high-impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability loss on the device. Only Chrome on Android prior to version 152.0.7977.75 is affected per the advisory, while desktop Chrome is not listed as impacted. There is currently no known public proof-of-concept, the flaw is not in CISA's KEV catalog, and EPSS estimates only a 0.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days, though it has drawn public coverage warning users about critical Chrome flaws on malicious websites. Do: Update Chrome for Android via the Play Store to version 152.0.7977.75 or later as soon as it is available, and force-update managed Android fleets via MDM/enterprise Chrome management. Until patched, avoid opening links from untrusted sources in Chrome on Android. Users of other Chromium-based Android browsers should watch for corresponding updates, since the underlying Chromium code is shared. | 9.6 | <1% |
| mass≈5+ billion installations (Chrome for Android has 5B+ Play Store installs and is the default browser on most Android devices) | ||
| CVE-2026-85046 | Actively Exploited V8 Type Confusion in Google Chrome (CVE-2026-85046) Google Chrome versions prior to 152.0.7977.82 contain a type confusion flaw (CWE-843) in the V8 JavaScript engine, which mishandles object types during engine operations (public proof-of-concept writeups indicate it is reachable through array sorting and WebAssembly-related code paths). A remote attacker triggers the flaw simply by getting a user to open a crafted HTML page, with no privileges or authentication required. Successful exploitation lets the attacker execute arbitrary code inside the browser's sandbox, and public reporting shows it being chained with Windows zero-days (the 'BlueMoon' exploit kit) by Chinese espionage groups for broader compromise. Any user of an unpatched Chrome or another build embedding the affected V8 engine is exposed. The vulnerability is a zero-day that was actively exploited in the wild before patching, was added to CISA's KEV on 2026-09-04, and has five public proof-of-concept references. Do: Update Google Chrome to 152.0.7977.82 or later immediately, and apply the corresponding V8 fix in any Chromium-based browser in use. Federal agencies must apply mitigations in line with CISA BOD 26-04 and its cloud-services requirements, evaluating each asset's internet exposure. Because public reporting shows this flaw chained with Windows zero-days in 'BlueMoon' attacks, patch the related Windows vulnerabilities as well and hunt for signs of exploit-chain activity on high-exposure endpoints. | 8.8 | 1% | KEV PoC ×5 |
| massmultiple billions of users/installs (Chrome is the dominant desktop browser at roughly 65% market share, with an estimated 3+ billion active users, plus… |
Full article490 words · extracted from malwarebytes.com · click to collapse
Update September 4, 2026
Shortly after this article was published, Google released another Chrome update that patches an actively exploited flaw in the V8 JavaScript engine, tracked as CVE-2026-85046 .
Google rates the vulnerability as high severity and says an exploit already exists in the wild. An attacker could use a crafted HTML page to execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome sandbox. Because it is already being exploited, HKCERT rates the overall risk as extremely high.
After installing the latest update, Chrome should be at version 152.0.7977.82/.83 on Windows and Mac, or 152.0.7977.82 on Linux.
Chrome is rolling out an update for its desktop browser. The update includes 26 security fixes, two of which Google rates as critical use-after-free vulnerabilities.
How to update Chrome
If you don’t want to wait for the rollout to reach you, manually updating is easy.
The easiest option is to allow Chrome to update automatically. But you can end up lagging behind if you never close your browser or if something goes wrong with the update.
To update manually, click the More menu (three dots), then go to Settings > About Chrome . If an update is available, Chrome will start downloading it automatically. Restart Chrome to complete the update, and you’ll be protected against these vulnerabilities.
You can find an explanation of the version numbering system and step-by-step instructions in our guide: How to update Chrome on every operating system .
Technical details
Let’s look at the two critical vulnerabilities. Both are use-after-free (UAF) vulnerabilities. A use-after-free vulnerability occurs when a program attempts to access a memory location after it has been freed. That can cause crashes or, in some cases, allow an attacker to run their own code.
The first, tracked as CVE-2026-84353 , was found in Shared Tab Groups and could allow a remote attacker using social engineering to execute arbitrary code outside the browser sandbox via a crafted HTML page. Here, social engineering likely means an attacker would have to lure you to a malicious website or open an email in HTML format .
The other critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-84352 , was found in WebGL. WebGL, short for Web Graphics Library, is a browser technology that lets websites display interactive 2D and 3D graphics. The vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page.
Chrome vulnerabilities that enable remote code execution outside the browser sandbox are particularly valuable to attackers because they can turn a visit to a malicious or compromised website into direct code running on the underlying operating system, often without requiring additional exploitation steps.
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Was a Microsoft MVP in consumer security for 12 years running. Can speak four languages. Smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books.
Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/bugs/2026/09/two-critical-chrome-flaws-put-users-at-risk-on-malicious-websites