Executive brief
A critical security flaw has been identified in the V8 engine used by Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and Opera. This engine is responsible for processing JavaScript on websites. An attacker can exploit this by tricking a user into visiting a malicious webpage, potentially allowing 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 data privacy and system integrity.
Technical details
A memory corruption vulnerability exists in the V8 JavaScript engine within Google Chromium due to improper restriction of operations within memory buffer bounds (CWE-119/CWE-94). The flaw is triggered when the browser processes a specially crafted HTML page, allowing a remote, unauthenticated attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution within the browser's sandbox environment. While the execution is initially restricted to the sandbox, it provides a critical foothold for further exploitation. This vulnerability affects Google Chrome versions prior to 146.0.7680.75 and has been confirmed by CISA to be under active exploitation in the wild. Users are advised to update to the latest available browser versions immediately.
Affected products
- Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.75
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera Software Opera
Timeline
- 2026-03-13: disclosed
- 2026-03-13: advisory
- 2026-03-13: kev added: Added to CISA KEV catalog on the same day as disclosure.
- 2026-03-13: exploited