FreeRDP has heap-use-after-free in xf_AppUpdateWindowFromSurface (stale XImage)
FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to version 3.23.0, `xf_AppUpdateWindowFromSurface` reuses a cached `XImage` whose `data` pointer references a freed RDPGFX surface buffer, because `gdi_DeleteSurface` frees `surface->data` without invalidating the `appWindow->image` that aliases it. Version 3.23.0 fixes the issue.
- Published
- Feb 25, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.8% · 55th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-416
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Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.8%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 5.5
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| freerdp | freerdp | cpe:2.3:a:freerdp:freerdp |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- freerdp freerdpbefore 3.23.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
FreeRDP FreeRDP
- < 3.23.0affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | freerdp2 | all versions | — |
| Debian:13 | freerdp3 | before 3.15.0+dfsg-2.1+deb13u1 | 3.15.0+dfsg-2.1+deb13u1 |
| Debian:14 | freerdp3 | before 3.23.0+dfsg-1 | 3.23.0+dfsg-1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | freerdp | before 3.24.1-1.1 | 3.24.1-1.1 |
Same product
freerdp: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2018-8787FreeRDP prior to version 2.0.0-rc4 contains an Integer Overflow that leads to a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in function gdi_Bitmap_Decompress42Plan
- CVE-2018-8788FreeRDP prior to version 2.0.0-rc4 contains an Out-Of-Bounds Write of up to 4 bytes in function nsc_rle_decode() that results in a memory co41Plan
- CVE-2018-8786FreeRDP prior to version 2.0.0-rc4 contains an Integer Truncation that leads to a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in function update_read_bitmap_41Plan
- CVE-2018-8785FreeRDP prior to version 2.0.0-rc4 contains a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in function zgfx_decompress() that results in a memory corruption a41Plan
- CVE-2018-8784FreeRDP prior to version 2.0.0-rc4 contains a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in function zgfx_decompress_segment() that results in a memory corr41Plan
- CVE-2024-32460FreeRDP Out-Of-Bounds Read in interleaved_decompress40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:freerdp3 | 3.15.0+dfsg-2.1+deb13u1 · Debian:13 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:freerdp | 3.24.1-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2026-2467716 days apartFreeRDP has a heap-buffer-overflow in ecam_encoder_compress_h26434Monitor
- CVE-2026-2467816 days apartFreeRDP has a Heap-use-after-free in cam_v4l_stream_capture_thread34Monitor
- CVE-2026-2468016 days apartFreeRDP has a heap-use-after-free in update_pointer_new(SDL)34Monitor
- CVE-2026-2468116 days apartFreeRDP has a heap-use-after-free in urb_bulk_transfer_cb34Monitor
- CVE-2026-2468316 days apartFreeRDP has a heap-use-after-free in ainput_send_input_event34Monitor
- CVE-2026-2468416 days apartFreeRDP has a Heap-use-after-free in play_thread34Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-416 · Use After FreeCVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
nvd-secondary
Root cause
After a memory region is freed, another reference pointing to it is still used. By then, the same region may have been allocated for different data.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-416 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
free(dev->buf);/* ... another thread is still running ... */process(dev->buf);Fixed
lock(&dev->lock);free(dev->buf);dev->buf = NULL;unlock(&dev->lock);Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/blob/5c7aae27d0417b42b4806c2a5c583ca39dd9ef1e/client/X11/xf_window.c#L1484-L1492
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/blob/5c7aae27d0417b42b4806c2a5c583ca39dd9ef1e/client/X11/xf_window.c#L1494-L1500
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/blob/5c7aae27d0417b42b4806c2a5c583ca39dd9ef1e/client/X11/xf_window.c#L1528
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/blob/5c7aae27d0417b42b4806c2a5c583ca39dd9ef1e/libfreerdp/gdi/gfx.c#L1224-L1227
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/commit/169d358734509e82663a0d6a0085ae726d439d8e
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.