Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Dawn for Google Chrome
CVE-2026-5281

8.8HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor: Google
Status: Chrome
Vendor: CVE Published:; 1 April 2026

Badges

🥇 Trended No. 1📈 Trended📈 Score: 8,020👾 Exploit Exists🟡 Public PoC🦅 CISA Reported📰 News Worthy

What is CVE-2026-5281?

CVE-2026-5281 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the Dawn rendering engine used by Google Chrome prior to version 146.0.7680.178. This vulnerability arises from a "use after free" condition, which means that memory that has been deallocated is still being accessed, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code. The security flaw can be exploited through specially crafted HTML pages, making it critical for organizations that rely on Google Chrome for web browsing and application access. If exploited, this vulnerability can compromise the security of business operations, allowing unauthorized actions, data manipulation, or even complete system takeover through the browser.

Potential impact of CVE-2026-5281

Remote Code Execution: The primary risk associated with CVE-2026-5281 is the potential for remote code execution (RCE). Attackers can execute arbitrary code on compromised systems simply by convincing users to visit a maliciously crafted webpage, leading to severe implications for data integrity and confidentiality.
Compromise of User Data: Since Google Chrome is widely used for accessing sensitive applications and data, successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to the theft or manipulation of sensitive information, putting organizations at risk of data breaches and identity theft.
Increased Attack Surface: The existence of this vulnerability may increase the attack surface for organizations, as it could be a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including deploying additional malware or pivoting to internal networks, thereby broadening the impact of the initial compromise.

CISA has reported CVE-2026-5281

CISA provides regional cyber and physical services to support security and resilience across the United States. CISA monitor the most dangerious vulnerabilities and have identifed CVE-2026-5281 as being exploited but is not known by the CISA to be used in ransomware campaigns. This is subject to change at pace

The CISA's recommendation is: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Affected Version(s)

Chrome 146.0.7680.178

Exploit Proof of Concept (PoC)

PoC code is written by security researchers to demonstrate the vulnerability can be exploited. PoC code is also a key component for weaponization which could lead to ransomware.

CVE-2026-5281
Created by TheMalwareGuardian

CVE-2026-5281-Research-Toolkit
Created by umair-aziz025