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Chrome Gemini side panel CVE-2026-0628 exposes extension abuse

Part of the CVE-2026-0628 story · since 2 Mar

Quiet for 6 weekslast report 16 Sep7 articles6 outlets
2 Mar · Unit 42 first1 Jul11 Aug21 SepNowThis article6th of 7
  • Mon 2 Mar, 11:08 UTC. Unit 42, first report. Chrome Gemini CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack the panel.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 13:11 UTC. Dark Reading, its first report on the story. Google patches CVE-2026-0628 in Chrome Gemini AI panel.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 15:44 UTC. SecurityWeek, its first report on the story. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack Gemini Live AI.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 17:46 UTC. The Hacker News, its first report on the story. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 enables WebView abuse to access camera, mic.
  • Tue 3 Mar, 10:02 UTC. Security Affairs, its first report on the story. Chrome patch stops extension hijack of Gemini Live, CVE-2026-0628.
  • Tue 3 Mar, 12:34 UTC. Malwarebytes, its first report on the story. Chrome Gemini side panel CVE-2026-0628 exposes extension abuse. This article, 6th of 7.
  • Wed 16 Sep, 17:13 UTC. Dark Reading. Browser Extensions Hijacked AI Assistants in Five Major Browsers.

The Chrome flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-0628, allowed a low-privilege extension to inject code into Gemini’s side panel and inherit its powerful capabilities, including local file access, screenshots, and camera and microphone control. The vulnerability affected Chrome’s Gemini “Live in Chrome” panel, which runs the Gemini web app in a privileged side panel that can see on-screen content and perform sensitive actions.

Researchers found that an extension using the declarativeNetRequest API could tamper with traffic to gemini.google[.]com/app when loaded inside this side panel, not just in a normal tab. The flaw was patched in a January update, with Google shipping fixes in early January 2026, so current versions are not vulnerable.

The broader takeaway is that agentic browsers, such as Gemini in Chrome, embed AI side panels that can autonomously execute multi-step actions and access sensitive data, underscoring the need to install as few extensions as possible and to monitor for unusual Gemini-related activity. 3 March 2026

How the story developed

All 7 articles
Quiet for 6 weekslast report 16 Sep7 articles6 outlets

7 articles from 6 outlets since 2 Mar. Quiet since 16 Sep. This was the 6th report, 1 day after the first.

Now2 Mar14 Sep2125304711151923First reportUnit 42 · 2 Mar, 11:08This article6th of 7 · day 1
  • Mon 2 Mar, 11:08 UTC. Unit 42, first report. Chrome Gemini CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack the panel.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 13:11 UTC. Dark Reading, its first report on the story. Google patches CVE-2026-0628 in Chrome Gemini AI panel.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 15:44 UTC. SecurityWeek, its first report on the story. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack Gemini Live AI.
  • Mon 2 Mar, 17:46 UTC. The Hacker News, its first report on the story. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 enables WebView abuse to access camera, mic.
  • Tue 3 Mar, 10:02 UTC. Security Affairs, its first report on the story. Chrome patch stops extension hijack of Gemini Live, CVE-2026-0628.
  • Tue 3 Mar, 12:34 UTC. Malwarebytes, its first report on the story. Chrome Gemini side panel CVE-2026-0628 exposes extension abuse. This article, 6th of 7.
  • Wed 16 Sep, 17:13 UTC. Dark Reading. Browser Extensions Hijacked AI Assistants in Five Major Browsers.
  • CVE not in KEV
  • No CVE
  • Larger: an outlet’s first report
  • Coverage over time
  • Quiet time, folded
Show all 7 articles as a list
  1. Mon 2 MarDay 04
    1. Chrome Gemini CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack the panel11:08 · Unit 42 · First report
    2. Google patches CVE-2026-0628 in Chrome Gemini AI panel13:11 · Dark Reading
    3. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 lets extensions hijack Gemini Live AI15:44 · SecurityWeek
    4. Chrome CVE-2026-0628 enables WebView abuse to access camera, mic17:46 · The Hacker News
  2. Tue 3 MarDay 12
    1. Chrome patch stops extension hijack of Gemini Live, CVE-2026-062810:02 · Security Affairs
    2. Chrome Gemini side panel CVE-2026-0628 exposes extension abuse12:34 · Malwarebytes · This article, 6th of 7

  3. Quiet for 28 weeks

    Wed 16 SepDay 1981
    1. Browser Extensions Hijacked AI Assistants in Five Major Browsers17:13 · Dark Reading · Picked up again

Sources

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