How severe is CVE-2026-5281?

CVE-2026-5281 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-5281 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2026-5281 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-04-01, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-5281?

CVE-2026-5281 affects Google Chrome. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-5281?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2026-5281 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-5281 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-17795. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-04-01).

When was CVE-2026-5281 published?

CVE-2026-5281 was published on 2026-04-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-5281

CVE-2026-5281 is a high-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2026-04-01). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2026-04-01)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-17795
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2026-04-01)
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Google Chrome
Published: 2026-04-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

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)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-5281?: 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)
How severe is CVE-2026-5281?: CVE-2026-5281 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-5281 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2026-5281 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-04-01, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-5281?: CVE-2026-5281 affects Google Chrome. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-5281?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2026-5281 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-5281 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-17795. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-04-01).
When was CVE-2026-5281 published?: CVE-2026-5281 was published on 2026-04-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:google:chrome:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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