CVE-2026-3541
Google Chrome ≤ 145.0.7632.159
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2026-3541 is a high-severity Improper Access Control (CWE-284) vulnerability in Google Chrome. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Drive-by Compromise (T1189); ranked at the 17th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and SC-39 (Process Isolation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-3541 involves an inappropriate implementation in the CSS component of Google Chrome prior to version 145.0.7632.159. This flaw enables a remote attacker to perform an out-of-bounds memory read via a crafted HTML page. The vulnerability is also present in Chromium, with the security team assigning it High severity and mapping it to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control).
The attack requires no privileges (PR:N) and has a network attack vector (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L), but user interaction (UI:R) is necessary, such as visiting a malicious site. Successful exploitation can result in high impacts on confidentiality (C:H), integrity (I:H), and availability (A:H), as reflected in its CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8, without changing scope (S:U).
Mitigation is addressed in the Chrome stable channel update for desktop, documented at https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html. Additional technical details are available in the Chromium issue tracker at https://issues.chromium.org/issues/484811719. Users should update to version 145.0.7632.159 or later.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-9489
Vulnerability Data
Inappropriate implementation in CSS in Google Chrome prior to 145.0.7632.159 allowed a remote attacker to perform an out of bounds memory read via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Out-of-bounds read in Chrome/Chromium CSS via crafted HTML page directly enables drive-by compromise of client browsers (T1189) and exploitation of client software for code execution (T1203).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Timely flaw remediation directly addresses the CSS implementation vulnerability in Chrome by applying patches like version 145.0.7632.159 to eliminate out-of-bounds memory reads.
Memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR and stack canaries mitigate exploitation of the out-of-bounds memory read in Chrome's CSS parser.
Process isolation through browser sandboxing confines the impact of the CSS vulnerability, preventing unauthorized access to system resources even if triggered by crafted HTML.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.AA-05 directly enforces policy-based access management and least privilege, eliminating most improper-access-control defects, yet CWE-284 also covers implementation flaws and design gaps outside a single management control.
Hardened baselines and deviation monitoring directly eliminate most configuration-induced access-control defects, yet CWE-284 also encompasses code-level and design flaws outside the scope of configuration management alone.
Secure SDLC practices catch most access-control defects during design/coding/testing (mostly), yet leave residual risk from runtime configuration, architecture, and operational controls (partial).
PR.AA-01 supplies managed identities/credentials that support but do not implement access-control decisions, so it only partially prevents CWE-284 in either direction.
Authentication directly blocks unauthenticated actors (partial prevention of CWE-284) but leaves authorization logic, policy enforcement, and role checks untouched, so the control neither eliminates nor fully mitigates the broader weakness.
PR.DS-01 encryption mitigates impact of failed access checks on stored data but neither implements nor constrains access-control logic itself.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Defining and enforcing explicit access rights and restrictions for each entity directly stops the assignment of permissions that exceed what is required, eliminating the root condition that allows improper access control.
Formal authorization, role-based provisioning, and timely revocation of access rights directly stop the creation of accounts or permissions that exceed what the business actually needs.
By enforcing explicit rules on which identities or groups may perform read, write, delete or execute operations and by denying anonymous access to sensitive data, the control directly stops the creation of overly permissive or missing access-control checks.
Requiring one-to-one mapping of identities to entities and timely removal of unused identities directly stops attackers from leveraging stale or shared accounts to bypass access restrictions.
By explicitly transferring security roles and responsibilities when personnel change jobs or leave, the control reduces the chance that former employees retain access rights they no longer need, thereby limiting improper access control.
Physical entry controls enforce explicit authorization and authentication at every access point, directly stopping unauthorized actors from reaching information-processing assets.