CVE-2026-4446
Published: 20 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-4446 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) 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 11.1th 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 SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and SC-39 (Process Isolation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly requires identification, reporting, and correction of the use-after-free flaw in Chrome's WebRTC component via timely patching to version 146.0.7680.153 or later.
Implements memory protection safeguards such as ASLR, DEP, and heap protections to mitigate exploitation of heap corruption from the WebRTC use-after-free vulnerability.
Enforces process isolation through Chrome's sandboxing to limit the impact of heap corruption exploitation in the WebRTC component.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's WebRTC exploited via crafted HTML page on malicious website enables drive-by compromise (T1189) and exploitation for client execution (T1203).
NVD Description
Use after free in WebRTC in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.153 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-4446 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in the WebRTC component of Google Chrome prior to version 146.0.7680.153. Published on 2026-03-20, it allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. Chromium security rates 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 over the network with low complexity, though it requires user interaction, such as a user visiting a malicious website. Successful exploitation could result in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability through heap corruption.
Google addressed the issue in the stable channel update for desktop Chrome, as announced at https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_18.html. Further technical details are available in the Chromium bug tracker at https://issues.chromium.org/issues/486421954. Mitigation requires updating to Chrome 146.0.7680.153 or later.
Details
- CWE(s)