Executive brief
Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers (like Microsoft Edge and Opera) are vulnerable to a security flaw in how they handle website styling (CSS). An attacker can exploit this by tricking a user into visiting a malicious website, which could allow the attacker to run unauthorized code on the user's computer. This vulnerability is known to be actively exploited in the wild, posing a significant risk to user data and system integrity.
Technical details
A use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability exists in the CSS component of the Chromium browser engine. The flaw is triggered when the browser incorrectly manages memory while processing Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) on a web page. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by hosting a specially crafted HTML page; when a user visits this page, the attacker can cause heap corruption. This can lead to arbitrary code execution within the browser's sandbox environment. The vulnerability is confirmed to be exploited in the wild and is patched in Chrome version 145.0.7632.75 and later.
Affected products
- Google Chrome prior to 145.0.7632.75
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera Software Opera
Timeline
- 2026-02-13: disclosed: Initial CVE receipt and description provided by Chrome
- 2026-02-13: patched: Chrome version 145.0.7632.75 released to address the issue
- 2026-02-17: kev added: CISA added this vulnerability to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog
- 2026-02-17: advisory: NVD publication date