CVE-2026-2441
📋 TL;DR
This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's CSS engine that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within the browser's sandbox by tricking users into visiting a malicious webpage. All users running vulnerable versions of Google Chrome are affected, with the attacker gaining the ability to run code at the user's privilege level.
💻 Affected Systems
- Google Chrome
- Chromium-based browsers
📦 What is this software?
Chrome by Google
Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, used by over 3 billion users globally across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms. As a Chromium-based browser developed by Google, Chrome dominates the browser market with approximately 65% market share, making it a critical compon...
Learn more about Chrome →Chrome by Google
Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, used by over 3 billion users globally across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms. As a Chromium-based browser developed by Google, Chrome dominates the browser market with approximately 65% market share, making it a critical compon...
Learn more about Chrome →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise if combined with sandbox escape vulnerabilities, leading to malware installation, data theft, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Arbitrary code execution within Chrome's sandbox, allowing session hijacking, credential theft, and browser-based attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited to sandboxed execution with reduced impact due to Chrome's security architecture.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting specific CSS that triggers the use-after-free condition. No authentication needed - just visiting a malicious page.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 145.0.7632.75 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/02/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_13.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Chrome. 2. Click the three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome. 3. Chrome will automatically check for and install updates. 4. Click 'Relaunch' to restart Chrome with the patched version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript
allTemporarily disable JavaScript to prevent exploitation, though this breaks most websites.
chrome://settings/content/javascript → Block
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Use alternative browsers until patching is possible
- Implement network filtering to block suspicious websites and ads
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version in Settings → About Chrome. If version is below 145.0.7632.75, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
On command line: google-chrome --version (Linux) or check via chrome://versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Chrome version is 145.0.7632.75 or higher in About Chrome.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Chrome crash reports with memory access violations
- Unexpected Chrome process termination
Network Indicators:
- Connections to suspicious domains serving HTML/CSS content
- Unusual outbound traffic after visiting websites
SIEM Query:
source="chrome" AND (event_type="crash" OR memory_violation="access")