Google Chrome: Use-after-free in Layout
Summary
Google Chrome versions before 156.0.8078.73 contain a use-after-free flaw in the Layout component. A remote attacker can use a crafted HTML page to execute arbitrary code inside the browser sandbox. The victim must open the malicious page, for example through an email link or a compromised website. The vendor description does not report a sandbox escape.
Affected
- Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.73 (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Note: the official CVE record lists the affected range as "156.0.8078.73 to < 156.0.8078.73", which is inconsistent with the description.
Fixed in
- Google Chrome 156.0.8078.73 or later, released in the Stable update of 27 October 2026
- Newer Stable builds exist; install the newest available Stable version.
Workaround
- Unknown. No vendor workaround is documented.
- Keep Chrome auto-update enabled and verify that managed devices run at least version 156.0.8078.73.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild found in the research.
- CISA SSVC assessment: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
- Not listed in the CISA KEV catalog according to one tracker; recheck before relying on this.
- No public proof of concept found.
Our recommendation
- Update Google Chrome on all endpoints to the newest Stable version and verify the rollout centrally.
- Check for devices where updates are blocked by policy or browsers are rarely restarted.
- Check for other Chromium-based browsers in use and update them as well.
- Monitor for vendor updates and KEV listing changes.
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 tracker issues.chromium.org
- VulDB: CVE-2026-118344 vuldb.com
- Malware.news: Chrome and Firefox updates fix serious security flaws malware.news
- Ubuntu Updates: google-chrome-stable package www.ubuntuupdates.org
- Cybersecuritynews: Google fixes 52 Chrome security flaws cybersecuritynews.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, 09:50.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Layout in Google Chrome prior to 156.0.8078.73 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Critical)
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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