CVE-2026-11124: Critical Chrome Skia Integer Overflow Allows Remote Code Execution

Technical summary

CVE-2026-11124 is an integer overflow vulnerability in the Skia graphics engine embedded within Google Chrome versions prior to 149.0.7827.53. The flaw resides in memory bounds calculation, allowing attackers to write beyond allocated heap buffers via malformed HTML content. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow), which can lead to arbitrary code execution in the browser process context. The attack surface is broad: any webpage or HTML-embedded content (email, documents, ads) can trigger the overflow. The Chromium project rated this as Medium severity internally, but the resulting exploit impact—unrestricted code execution—justifies the elevated CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 (HIGH).

Business impact

Organizations face direct risk across all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints where Chrome is deployed. A successful exploit grants attackers the ability to execute arbitrary code within the Chrome sandbox, potentially breaking out to the host OS. Business continuity concerns include data theft from authenticated sessions (email, cloud storage, banking), credential harvesting, and deployment of persistent malware. For organizations relying on Chrome for business applications or those with high-value user bases (finance, healthcare, government), this represents a material risk to confidentiality and integrity. The ubiquity of Chrome makes this a likely attack vector for both targeted and mass-compromise campaigns.

Affected systems

Google Chrome browser on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. All versions prior to 149.0.7827.53 are vulnerable. The vulnerability also affects any system component or application that embeds Chromium (e.g., Electron-based applications, embedded webviews in third-party software). Users running Chrome version 149.0.7827.53 or later are protected; verify your installed version in Chrome Settings > About Chrome.

Exploitability

Exploitability is high. The attack requires only that a victim visit a malicious webpage or open a crafted HTML document—no browser plugins, complex social engineering, or zero-click mechanisms are needed. The crafted HTML can be hosted remotely, sent via email, embedded in advertisements, or injected into compromised websites. Once the page loads, the integer overflow is triggered automatically if the victim's browser version is vulnerable. No authentication or special system privileges are required on the attacker side. Public exploit code availability has not been confirmed as of the source data date, but the straightforward nature of the vulnerability makes reliable exploitation likely once details are published.

Remediation

Update Google Chrome to version 149.0.7827.53 or later immediately. Chrome's auto-update mechanism typically deploys patches within days of release, but users should manually verify completion by navigating to Settings > About Chrome > Check for updates. For organizations managing Chrome deployments, verify that update policies (e.g., via Active Directory GPOs, macOS profiles, or Linux package managers) are enforcing the patched version. For Chromium-based applications, contact the vendor to confirm patch availability and deployment timeline. Until patching is complete, isolate or restrict browser access to untrusted content where feasible.

Patch guidance

Google Chrome releases patches automatically, but administrators should verify deployment. Check your Chrome version: open Chrome menu > Settings > About Chrome. If the version is below 149.0.7827.53, trigger a manual update and restart the browser. For enterprise deployments: Windows administrators should verify the ChromeVersion policy and consider enforcing via Group Policy Object (GPO) to lock the minimum version to 149.0.7827.53 or higher. macOS admins can deploy via MDM with the 'com.google.Chrome' preference domain. Linux administrators should update via their package manager (apt, yum, etc.). For Electron applications and other Chromium-based tools, consult the vendor's security advisory for patch availability—this vulnerability may not affect all Chromium derivatives equally if they use older Skia versions.

Detection guidance

Monitor for signs of exploitation: (1) Unexpected Chrome process crashes or restarts, especially following web browsing sessions. (2) Network traffic to suspicious or unfamiliar domains initiated from Chrome processes. (3) Unusual system calls from Chrome or spawned child processes (e.g., execution of shell commands, registry modifications, file writes outside normal user directories). (4) Antivirus or EDR alerts for heap corruption, integer overflow, or buffer overflow attempts. Organizations with web traffic inspection can look for HTTP requests to known malicious or suspicious sites delivering HTML payloads designed to trigger Skia integer overflows. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools should flag anomalous Chrome behavior or privilege escalation attempts following heap corruption events. Log Chrome crashes and correlate with browsing history to identify potentially malicious pages.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability merits immediate patching priority due to the combination of high exploitability (user click required, but trivial delivery mechanism), severe impact (full code execution), and ubiquitous exposure (Chrome is installed on the vast majority of corporate and consumer devices). The lack of KEV listing does not diminish urgency—active exploitation is likely given the simplicity of the attack and the commercial value of Chrome-based malware. Organizations should treat this as a critical update, not a routine patch cycle item. The risk window between public disclosure and widespread patching is typically 1-2 weeks.

Risk score, explained

CVE-2026-11124 scores 8.8 (HIGH) under CVSS 3.1 using the vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This reflects: (1) Network-based attack vector (AV:N) with no complexity (AC:L) and no privileges required (PR:N). (2) User interaction required (UI:R)—the victim must visit a malicious page. (3) Unrestricted confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact (C:H/I:H/A:H), as code execution can read, modify, or delete any data accessible to the Chrome process. The 8.8 score appropriately captures the severe post-exploitation capability despite the UI requirement, making this among the most critical Chrome vulnerabilities.

Frequently asked questions