VulnerabilityPublished 20 Mar 2026Updated 21 Mar 2026

CVE-2026-4442: Google Chrome · Heap Buffer Overflow

Affects Google ChromeSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High : upgrade to 146.0.7680.153 soon.

Data as of 31 Oct 2026, 08:20 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

8.8High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 20% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 146.0.7680.153

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: Required: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 20 Mar 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade Google Chrome to 146.0.7680.153.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
GoogleChrome	Affected >=146.0.7680.153 <146.0.7680.153	Fixed in 146.0.7680.153

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2026-4442, organizations should immediately update all instances of Google Chrome to version 146.0.7680.153 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, organizations should implement browser security best practices such as enabling sandboxing features, restricting browser extensions to trusted sources, and using content security policies to limit exposure to malicious content. Employing web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious sites can reduce the risk of user interaction with crafted HTML pages. Security awareness training should emphasize the dangers of phishing and visiting untrusted websites. Network-level protections, including intrusion detection systems tuned to detect exploit attempts targeting Chrome vulnerabilities, can provide additional defense layers. For high-security environments, consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of identifying anomalous browser behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should include checks for outdated browsers and known vulnerabilities. Finally, maintaining a robust incident response plan ensures rapid containment and remediation if exploitation occurs.

Description

Heap buffer overflow in CSS in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.153 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)

Impact

The vulnerability poses a significant threat to organizations worldwide due to the widespread use of Google Chrome as a primary web browser. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution, enabling attackers to steal sensitive information such as credentials, session tokens, or intellectual property. It can also facilitate the deployment of malware or ransomware, disrupt business operations, and compromise network security by providing a foothold for further attacks. The requirement for user interaction (visiting a malicious webpage) means phishing or drive-by download attacks could be effective vectors. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially affecting individual users, enterprises, and critical infrastructure relying on Chrome for secure web access. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers often develop exploits rapidly following public disclosure. Organizations that delay patching increase their exposure to targeted attacks, especially in sectors with high-value data or regulatory compliance requirements.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 27 Mar 2026, 19:24 UTC

Technical details

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