VulnerabilityPublished 20 Mar 2026Updated 21 Mar 2026

CVE-2026-4458: Google Chrome · Use After Free

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 9% 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

Immediately update all instances of Google Chrome to version 146.0.7680.153 or later, where the vulnerability is patched.
Implement strict extension policies via enterprise management tools to restrict installation of extensions only from trusted sources or pre-approved lists.
Educate users about the risks of installing unverified or suspicious browser extensions and train them to recognize social engineering attempts.
Employ browser security features such as sandboxing and site isolation to limit the impact of potential exploitation.
Monitor network traffic and endpoint behavior for unusual activities indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected extension installations or anomalous browser process behavior.
Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and respond to exploitation attempts quickly.
Regularly review and audit installed extensions across the organization to ensure compliance with security policies.
Consider deploying application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized software, including malicious extensions, from running.

Description

Use after free in Extensions in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.153 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted Chrome Extension. (Chromium security severity: High)

Impact

The exploitation of CVE-2026-4458 can have severe consequences for organizations globally. Successful attacks can lead to arbitrary code execution within the browser, allowing attackers to bypass security controls, steal credentials, access sensitive information, or deploy further malware. Given Chrome’s widespread use as the primary web browser in enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers leveraging this flaw could gain footholds in corporate networks, conduct espionage, or disrupt operations. The requirement for user interaction (installing a malicious extension) means social engineering campaigns could be effective, especially in targeted phishing or spear-phishing attacks. The vulnerability’s presence across multiple operating systems increases the attack surface. Without timely patching, organizations remain exposed to potentially impactful breaches and operational disruptions.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 27 Mar 2026, 19:28 UTC

Technical details

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