CVE-2026-9890: Use after free in XR in Google Chrome on Windows prior to 148

Synopsis

A use-after-free vulnerability affects the XR (extended reality) component of Google Chrome on Windows in versions prior to 148.0.7778.216. The flaw is reachable over the network but requires the attacker to have already compromised the renderer process and to lure a victim into visiting a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation allows a sandbox escape, giving the attacker the ability to read data, modify files, and disrupt the host process outside Chrome's sandbox boundary. A patched-image rebuild at version 148.0.7778.216 is available on HarborGuard for affected environments.

HarborGuard Coverage

Exploit Conditions

• Network reachabilityRequired

  The attacker delivers the crafted HTML page over the network, so the targeted service or user must be reachable from an internet or network-adjacent position.

• AuthenticationNot required

  No account or credential is needed to serve the malicious page; the attacker only requires prior compromise of the renderer process, not any authentication to the target system.

• Victim interactionRequired

  The victim must navigate to or load the attacker-controlled HTML page, making this a social-engineering vector where user action is a prerequisite.

• Attack complexityDetail

  Attack complexity is rated High, meaning the attacker must first achieve renderer process compromise before the use-after-free can be leveraged for sandbox escape, introducing significant preconditions beyond just delivering the page.

Blast Radius

• A successful sandbox escape lets the attacker read files and data accessible to the Chrome process on the host Windows system, including session tokens or credentials stored on disk.
• The attacker can write or modify files outside the Chrome sandbox, enabling persistence mechanisms or tampering with locally stored application data.
• The attacker can crash or terminate the Chrome process or interfere with other host processes, causing service disruption for the affected user or workload.
• Because the scope change (S:C) flag is set, impact extends beyond the sandboxed browser context and can affect other components or processes sharing the host.