Google Chrome: Use-after-free in WebAppInstalls
Summary
Google Chrome on desktop before 156.0.8078.47 contains a use-after-free flaw in the WebAppInstalls component (CWE-416). A remote attacker can trigger it by luring a user to a crafted HTML page, which may allow arbitrary code execution inside the browser sandbox. No account is required, but the user must open the page. The sandbox limits the impact unless the flaw is chained with a separate sandbox escape.
Affected
- Google Chrome (desktop) before 156.0.8078.47, according to the NVD description
- The CNA record lists an inconsistent range (156.0.8078.47 to < 156.0.8078.47); verify against the vendor advisory
Fixed in
- Google Chrome 156.0.8078.47 or later (Linux)
- Google Chrome 156.0.8078.48 or later (Windows and Mac), according to a third-party source
- Target the latest stable build
Workaround
Unknown. No browser-side mitigation is documented; updating Chrome is the fix.
Exploitation
- No known exploitation in the wild according to third-party sources; CISA KEV status should be verified.
- No public proof of concept found.
- Chromium severity: Low. CVSS 8.8 per NVD/CNA.
Our recommendation
- Confirm that all Chrome and Edge installations run 156.0.8078.47 or later, preferably the latest stable build.
- Ensure automatic updates are enabled and force browser restarts on endpoints that stay open for long periods.
- Recheck the CISA KEV catalogue and the Google advisory in a few days.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Google Stable Channel Update for Desktop, 20 Oct 2026 chromereleases.googleblog.com
- Chromium issue tracker issues.chromium.org
- Microsoft MSRC update guide msrc.microsoft.com
- Ubuntu security tracker ubuntu.com
- VulDB vuldb.com
- Strix CVE summary www.strix.ai
- Chrome 156 stable update summary browserhow.com
- Google Chrome (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org
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, 14:51.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in WebAppInstalls 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: Low)
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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