Google Chrome: Use after free in WindowControlsOverlay
Summary
A use-after-free flaw in the WindowControlsOverlay feature of Google Chrome allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the browser sandbox. The attack requires the victim to open a crafted HTML page and interact with it (user interaction required). CISA SSVC rates the exploitation status as proof-of-concept and automatable as 'no'.
Affected
- Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.47 (per the CVE description)
- Secondary sources report Chrome up to 155.0.8059.84 as affected; this conflicts with the CVE text and is unconfirmed.
Fixed in
- Google Chrome 156.0.8078.47 for Linux (per secondary sources)
- Google Chrome 156.0.8078.47/.48 for Windows and macOS (per secondary sources)
- Android Chrome builds before 156.0.8078.47 (per secondary sources)
- Verify the exact versions in Google's Chrome Releases post; it could not be retrieved for this analysis.
Workaround
- Unknown. No vendor workaround or mitigation for this specific bug was found; the update is the remedy.
- Restart the browser after updating, because the old browser process may still run.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC: exploitation status 'poc' (proof of concept), automatable 'no', technical impact 'total'.
- No evidence of active exploitation was found in the provided sources.
Our recommendation
- Update Google Chrome to version 156.0.8078.47 or later on all desktop and Android devices without delay.
- Restart the browser after the update so the fix takes effect.
- Check Chromium-based browsers (for example Microsoft Edge and other forks) for their own updates.
- Verify the installed versions centrally, for example through your endpoint management tool.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Google Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop chromereleases.googleblog.com
- Chromium issue tracker entry issues.chromium.org
- Vulners: CVE-2026-113009 record vulners.com
- VulDB: CVE-2026-113009 vuldb.com
- Cybersecurity News: Chrome 156 security update cybersecuritynews.com
- Vulners: Microsoft advisory MS:CVE-2026-113009 vulners.com
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 31 Oct 2026, 15:01.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in WindowControlsOverlay in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.47 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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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