CVE-2020-6572Known exploitationNetwork attack vector

Sandbox escape via stale Media crypto pointer

Published Jan 14, 2021 · Updated Jan 12, 2026

Use-after-free in Media in Google Chrome before 81.0.4044.92 allows remote attackers to escape the sandbox via crafted HTML. MediaCodecAudioDecoder::Initialize retains a raw media_crypto_context_ pointer after replacing and destroying its owning CDM during a second initialization. A user must load attacker-controlled HTML; the affected implementation is Android-specific, and Google did not obtain the in-the-wild exploit sample.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability10.59%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Media in Google Chrome before 81.0.4044.92 allows remote attackers to escape the sandbox via crafted HTML. MediaCodecAudioDecoder::Initialize retains a raw media_crypto_context_ pointer after replacing and destroying its owning CDM during a second initialization. A user must load attacker-controlled HTML; the affected implementation is Android-specific, and Google did not obtain the in-the-wild exploit sample.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-6572
Published
Jan 14, 2021
Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Google Chrome
Classifications
CWE-416, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 1, 2020Exploitation reportedGoogle Project Zero in-the-wild observation
  2. Jan 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  3. Jan 12, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <81.0.4044.92

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Google Chromeversion=unspecified <81.0.4044.92

Published CVSS scores

9.3NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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