CVE-2026-4443
Published: 20 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-4443 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) 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 7.4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SC-39 (Process Isolation) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Mandates timely application of vendor patches to remediate the specific heap buffer overflow vulnerability in Chrome's WebAudio component.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR and DEP that directly counter heap buffer overflows attempting unauthorized code execution.
Enforces process isolation via sandboxing to confine arbitrary code execution to the renderer process, limiting potential system-wide impact.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Heap buffer overflow enables RCE via crafted HTML page (drive-by or malicious link), mapping directly to browser/client exploitation techniques.
NVD Description
Heap buffer overflow in WebAudio in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.153 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-4443 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) in the WebAudio component of Google Chrome versions prior to 146.0.7680.153. It enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code within the browser's sandbox by tricking a user into loading a crafted HTML page. The Chromium security team rated it as High severity, with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
A remote attacker without privileges can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low complexity, but it requires user interaction, such as visiting a malicious website. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution confined to the sandboxed renderer process, potentially leading to high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts within that context.
Mitigation involves updating Google Chrome to version 146.0.7680.153 or later, as detailed in the stable channel update for desktop announced on the Chrome Releases blog and tracked in Chromium issue 485292589.
Details
- CWE(s)