Description

Improper input validation in DataTransfer in Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.75 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to bypass system access restrictions via a co-installed app. (Chromium security severity: High)

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-02T00:18:27.340Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-02T00:18:27.340Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A critical vulnerability identified within the DataTransfer component of the Google Chrome browser allows for the circumvention of system-level access restrictions. Classified as a high-severity flaw, the issue stems from improper input validation, which can be weaponized by a remote attacker.\nThe vulnerability affects versions of Google Chrome prior to 152.0.7977.75. Exploitation of this flaw requires the attacker to employ social engineering tactics to induce a user to interact with a malicious environment while a co-installed application is present on the target system.\nSuccessful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to bypass established security boundaries, potentially leading to unauthorized data interaction or unauthorized system access beyond the browser's sandbox environment. Given the potential for privilege escalation relative to the browser's constrained state, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to user data integrity and system confidentiality. Users are advised to update their software immediately to the remediated version to mitigate the risk of exploitation.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides within the DataTransfer interface of the Chromium engine, specifically regarding the handling of data objects during drag-and-drop or clipboard-related operations. The root cause is a failure to sufficiently validate input data passed to the DataTransfer API before processing, which creates a logic flaw in how the browser reconciles interaction requests with system-level access policies.\nThe attack flow initiates when a remote attacker successfully lures a user into a deceptive interaction through social engineering. For the exploit to reach its potential, the system must host a co-installed application that the attacker intends to leverage. By manipulating the input provided to the DataTransfer object, the attacker bypasses the browser's intended security constraints that govern the interaction between web content and the host operating system or other local applications.\nSpecifically, the DataTransfer component fails to verify the integrity and origin of the payload being moved or pasted. When a co-installed application is present, the browser-side vulnerability allows the malicious input to masquerade as a legitimate request, effectively tricking the system into permitting operations that should have been restricted by the browser's security sandbox. The lack of robust input validation allows an attacker to manipulate the data transfer protocol to gain unauthorized access to system resources that the browser would normally prevent access to.\nThis vulnerability does not require prior authentication to the system, as the exploit is facilitated by the browser's native handling of web-based data input. The post-exploitation impact includes the potential for bypassing system access restrictions, which could allow a malicious actor to perform unauthorized actions on the host system or facilitate lateral movement between the browser environment and co-installed software. By compromising the DataTransfer validation logic, an attacker can effectively escalate their control, circumventing the browser's protective sandbox boundaries that are designed to isolate web content from sensitive system interfaces."
}