---
title: "CVE-2026-5281: Google Dawn Use-After-Free Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-5281/
description: "CVE-2026-5281 (Google Dawn): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). Use after free in Dawn in Google Chrome prior to 146.0.7680.178 allowed a remote attacker who…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-04-01
date_modified: 2026-04-02
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-5281"
kev: true
cvss: 8.8
epss: 0.00703
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-5281: Google Dawn Use-After-Free Vulnerability

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run Google Dawn. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-04-01, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-04-15 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 0.7% , percentile 53: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 53% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs a user to click or open something. Phishing makes that realistic, but it is not wormable.

## 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)

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Google Chrome: 146.0.7680.178 < 146.0.7680.178

## Severity

- CISA-ADP CVSS 3.1: 8.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2026-04-01; federal due date 2026-04-15. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- 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.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.70% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 53.

## Sources

- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (chromereleases.googleblog.com)](https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2026/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_31.html)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-5281](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-5281)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-5281](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5281)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-5281)
- [issues.chromium.org](https://issues.chromium.org/issues/491518608)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-5281/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt