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Use-after-free in Chrome Passwords

IdentifiersCVE-2026-12442CWE-416

CVE-2026-12442 is a critical use-after-free vulnerability in the Passwords component of Google Chrome on Android prior to version 149.0.7827.155. According to the provided content, a remote attacker can trigger the flaw by causing the target to load a crafted HTML page. As a use-after-free memory corruption issue, the vulnerability arises when previously freed memory is subsequently accessed by the affected Passwords functionality, creating conditions that can corrupt process memory and potentially redirect control flow. Google rates the issue Critical and states that successful exploitation may allow arbitrary code execution.

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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 can allow remote arbitrary code execution in the context of the affected Chrome process on Android. Because the bug is reachable via a crafted HTML page, the impact includes drive-by compromise of a victim who visits attacker-controlled web content. As a critical browser memory-corruption flaw, it may also be usable as part of a broader exploit chain for additional post-exploitation objectives depending on available sandbox escapes or privilege-escalation primitives, but that is not specifically confirmed in the provided content.

Mitigation

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

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by limiting access to untrusted or attacker-controlled websites and web content on affected Android devices until the update is applied. Enterprise defenders can monitor for outdated Chrome installations and prioritize rapid browser patch deployment. General defense-in-depth measures such as mobile endpoint protection and browser isolation may reduce risk, but they are not substitutes for installing the vendor fix.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Update Google Chrome on Android to version 149.0.7827.155 or later. The provided content indicates that versions prior to 149.0.7827.155 are affected. Applying the vendor-supplied update is the primary remediation.
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.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

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

7 SOURCESView more in app
What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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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 activity4

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

EXTERNAL REFERENCES
MITRE CVE
cve.org · CVE-2026-12442
NVD
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12442
MITRE CWE · CWE-416
cwe.mitre.org