High

Heap buffer overflow in Google Chrome WebML

IdentifiersCVE-2026-8509CWE-122· Heap-based Buffer Overflow

CVE-2026-8509 is a critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the WebML component of Google Chrome. It affects Chrome versions prior to 148.0.7778.168. According to the provided content, a remote attacker can trigger the flaw by causing a target to load a crafted HTML page, leading to out-of-bounds heap memory corruption in WebML. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution within the Chrome sandbox. Chromium rated the issue Critical.

For your environment

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the Chrome renderer or other sandboxed browser process. The provided CVSS v3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability within the affected sandboxed context. The supplied content does not state a sandbox escape or direct host compromise from this vulnerability alone.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Apply the vendor update as soon as possible and ensure browsers are relaunched to complete installation. Until patching is complete, reduce exposure to untrusted web content, especially attacker-controlled HTML pages, and use standard browser hardening and enterprise update enforcement. The provided content does not include any component-specific workaround for disabling the vulnerable WebML functionality.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Update Google Chrome to version 148.0.7778.168 or later. The provided content indicates that versions prior to 148.0.7778.168 are affected and that Google released a stable channel security update addressing this issue.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

DebianChromiumapplication

GoogleChromeapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

9 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

9 SOURCESView more in app

cyber security newsNews

May 15, 2026

79 Chrome Vulnerabilities Patched, Including 14 Critical One’s - Update Now!

A critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability in Chrome's WebML component patched in Chrome 148.0.7778.167/168.

cvefeed high severityNews

May 14, 2026

CVE-2026-8509 - Google Chrome Heap Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

A critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability in WebML in Google Chrome that allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside the browser sandbox via a crafted HTML page.

chrome releases blogNews

May 12, 2026

Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop

A critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability in Chrome WebML.

chrome releases blogNews

May 12, 2026

Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop

A critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability in Chrome WebML.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity5

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.

EXTERNAL REFERENCES

MITRE CVE

cve.org · CVE-2026-8509

NVD

nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-8509

MITRE CWE · CWE-122

Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Vendor Advisory

chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/05/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_12.html

Permissions Required

issues.chromium.org/issues/493310462