Google Chrome: Use-after-free in Contextual Tasks allows sandbox escape
Summary
Google Chrome on Windows contains a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in the Contextual Tasks feature. An attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can use a crafted HTML page to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the browser sandbox. The attack requires a user to visit the page, so it is a second-stage risk that must be chained with a renderer vulnerability.
Affected
- Google Chrome on Windows prior to 154.0.8037.97
- Mac and Linux: not verified (the CVE text names Windows only)
Fixed in
- Google Chrome 154.0.8037.97 or later (Windows, Stable channel)
Workaround
- No workaround known. The fix is a browser update.
- No vendor-documented option to disable Contextual Tasks was found.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
- No in-the-wild exploitation or public proof of concept found as of the research date. Coverage of the search was not exhaustive.
- EPSS score 0.00284 (general prediction, not specific to this CVE).
Our recommendation
- Check all Windows endpoints for Chrome versions below 154.0.8037.97.
- Confirm that managed devices received the update and force a restart of the browser where needed.
- Prioritise workstations that handle sensitive data and patch within the normal browser update cycle.
- Monitor for unusual browser crashes or code execution alerts until the fleet is fully updated.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop chromereleases.googleblog.com
- Chromium issue 561660166 issues.chromium.org
- Vulners: CVE-2026-103624 vulners.com
- OSV: DEBIAN-CVE-2026-103624 osv.dev
- Tenable plugin 362703 www.tenable.com
- OpenCVE: CVE-2026-103624 app.opencve.io
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 14:16.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Contextual Tasks in Google Chrome on on Windows prior to 154.0.8037.97 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to potentially execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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