External risk intelligence

Chrome Device Trust Use After Free Sandbox Escape

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.6)

CVE-2026-11114

This vulnerability requires a user to navigate to a crafted HTML page within the browser, meaning the attack vector is client-side. It does not describe a public-facing service or internet-accessible appliance, but rather a flaw triggered by client-side browser usage.

Use After Free

Google Chrome

before 149.0.7827.53

Halo Surface Signal: 1 out of 5 — much less likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A vulnerability in Google Chrome on Mac could allow a skilled attacker to escape the browser's security sandbox, potentially leading to broader system compromise, if a user visits a malicious webpage. The core issue involves a 'use after free' flaw within the Device Trust feature of Chrome. While the severity is rated CRITICAL, the attack requires user interaction by visiting a compromised site, making the immediate risk to externally facing systems less likely.

A flaw in Chrome could allow attackers to break out of the browser.
It matters if users visit malicious websites.
Confirm relevance and exposure to user browsing activity.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker who has already compromised the renderer process of Google Chrome on macOS could lead a user to a specially crafted HTML page. This page can trigger a use-after-free vulnerability in the Device Trust feature, potentially allowing the attacker to escape the browser's sandbox.

Requires compromised renderer process.
Triggered by a crafted HTML page.
Risk of sandbox escape.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's Device Trust component, when supported by the advisory's conditions, could allow an attacker who has already compromised the renderer process to escape the sandbox via a specially crafted HTML page. This could affect sensitive information or system behavior by potentially allowing broader system access.

System and user data could be exposed.
Sandbox escape via crafted HTML.
Potential for unauthorized system access.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

The Device Trust vulnerability in Google Chrome requires a user to visit a malicious HTML page to trigger a sandbox escape. This points to product owners, security teams, and potentially end-user support teams as responsible for identifying and addressing affected Chrome instances. The first practical step is to determine the scope of Chrome deployments, assess user exposure to untrusted web content, and confirm ownership of Chrome instances used for business-critical tasks before planning remediation.

Identify Chrome instances and owners.
Verify user exposure to malicious pages.
Coordinate updates during maintenance windows.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Device Trust component in Google Chrome?

Device Trust is a feature within Google Chrome used to verify that a computer meets specific security requirements before allowing access to corporate data or applications. By checking device health and configuration, it helps administrators manage access control. In this context, the component is part of the browser's internal logic, and the vulnerability specifically affects how this feature handles memory operations when running on macOS.

What does a use-after-free vulnerability mean in CVE-2026-11114?

A use-after-free is a memory management weakness (CWE-416) where a program continues to use a pointer to a memory location after that memory has been cleared or released. If an attacker can manipulate the content of that memory before it is reused, they may be able to trick the browser into executing unintended instructions, potentially allowing them to break out of the browser's security sandbox.

How is this Chrome sandbox escape triggered?

An attacker must first compromise the browser's renderer process and then lure a user to visit a specially crafted HTML page. The bug is not triggered by simply having the browser installed or by standard network traffic; it specifically requires the execution of malicious web content that interacts with the flawed Device Trust code while the renderer process is already under the attacker's control.

Is my system at risk if I use Chrome on a private network?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this risk is categorized as very unlikely for infrastructure because it is a client-side issue, not a service-side one. The danger is not defined by whether a device is on an internal or external network, but rather by user behavior. The primary risk exists when users navigate to malicious sites, regardless of where the browser is hosted or which network it connects to.

Do I need to update my Chrome browser immediately?

You should prioritize identifying all instances of Chrome on macOS within your environment to confirm they are running version 149.0.7827.53 or later. Since this vulnerability requires a user to visit a malicious page to be effective, focusing on updating browsers used for critical business tasks is a standard first step to mitigating the risk of a potential sandbox escape.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.