CVE-2026-5281: Google Dawn Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.
Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.
What it is
Use after free in Dawn in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.178 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by Chrome, published 2026-04-01).
Weakness: Use after free
How it can be exploited
Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing no privileges and a user must take an action. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: no. Technical impact: total.
- On CISA KEV since
- 2026-04-01
- US federal deadline
- 2026-04-15
- Ransomware use
- Not known
Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)
Also known as: BDU:2026-04540, CNVD-2026-24165, EUVD-2026-17795, GHSA-xf76-839h-pfpm
VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:GADOLINIUMGARDEN
Exploit Observer links 6 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.
Exploit code and modules (6)
Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.
- Code repository: https://github.com/iqx6889/cve-2026-52813-gogs-rce
- Code repository: https://github.com/jaf0rk/cve-2026-5281
- Code repository: https://github.com/jaf0rk/cve-2026-5281-cve-2026-11057-fullchain
- Code repository: https://github.com/themalwareguardian/cve-2026-5281
- Code repository: https://github.com/umair-aziz025/cve-2026-5281
- Code repository: https://github.com/umair-aziz025/cve-2026-5281-research-toolkit
Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (7)
Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2026-17795
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-xf76-839h-pfpm
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5281
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://redos.red-soft.ru/search/?iblock_id=&q=CVE-2026-5281
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-5281
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnvd.org.cn/flaw/show/CNVD-2026-24165
- Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-5281
18 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.
VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.
Live scores
- EPSS
- 0.137
likely to be attacked soon - VEDAS
- 0.979
strong exploit evidence - On CISA KEV
- Yes, since 2026-04-01
- Detection rule
- None yet
Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish.
Who is affected
| Product | Affected | Not affected |
|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | from 146.0.7680.178 before 146.0.7680.178 | Not stated |
Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.
Exploit Observer also maps it to: google chrome, google_inc google_chrome, ооо_«ред_софт» ред_ос.
How to fix it
Fixed versions stated in the CVE record: 146.0.7680.178.
CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Vendor guidance:
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_31.html
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5281
How to detect it
There is no open VEDAS detection rule for this bug yet. It is listed on the detection gaps page if CISA has confirmed attacks.
Advisories on this CVE
- Chrome 2026 in-the-wild zero-days (seven by September) (January 2026)
References
Government sources
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-5281 (government-resource)
Other references
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_31.html
- https://issues.chromium.org/issues/491518608
Other databases
Where this comes from
This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.