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FreerdpApplication

CVE-2026-25953

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-02-25
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.23.0 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Public exploit Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click Patch available

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to version 3.23.0, `xf_AppUpdateWindowFromSurface` reads from a freed `xfAppWindow` because the RDPGFX DVC thread obtains a bare pointer via `xf_rail_get_window` without any lifetime protection, while the main thread can concurrently delete the window through a fastpath window-delete order. Version 3.23.0 fixes the issue.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A race condition in FreeRDP's `xf_AppUpdateWindowFromSurface` function causes a use-after-free vulnerability. The RDPGFX DVC thread obtains a bare pointer via `xf_rail_get_window` without lifetime protection, while the main thread can concurrently delete the window through a fastpath window-delete order, leading to the DVC thread reading from freed memory.

MitigationUpgrade FreeRDP to version 3.23.0 or later to patch the use-after-free vulnerability. Prior to upgrading, consider disabling RDPGFX DVC if possible as a temporary mitigation.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
FreerdpApplication
Affected:< 3.23.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed FreeRDP version
    Run 'freerdp-version' or check package manager (dpkg -l freerdp, rpm -q freerdp, or similar depending on OS) to determine the installed version
    Affected if Version is lower than 3.23.0 (e.g., 3.22.0, 3.16.0, 2.x series)
  2. Verify RDPGFX DVC is enabled
    Check FreeRDP connection logs or configuration for RDPGFX (Remote Desktop Graphics) dynamic virtual channel usage; this is typically enabled by default when using graphics pipeline features
    Affected if RDPGFX channel is active in the session (appears as 'RDPGFX' in connection output)
  3. Confirm RAIL window usage
    Monitor for RAIL (Remote Applications Integrated Locally) window operations, particularly fastpath window-delete orders; check session logs for 'xf_rail_get_window' activity or window create/delete events
    Affected if RAIL windows are being created and managed during the session
  4. Check for concurrent access patterns
    Review if the FreeRDP client connects to a server that sends both graphics updates (triggering xf_AppUpdateWindowFromSurface) and window delete orders simultaneously
    Affected if Server sends both RDPGFX surface updates and rapid window deletion commands

You are affected if running FreeRDP version below 3.23.0 with RDPGFX DVC and RAIL window features enabled, as this creates the race condition window for the use-after-free.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 3.23.0 or later
Fixed in 3.23.0
Vendor patch github.com →
Interim mitigation

Upgrade FreeRDP to version 3.23.0 or later to patch the use-after-free vulnerability. Prior to upgrading, consider disabling RDPGFX DVC if possible as a temporary mitigation.

Recommended fix High confidence

FreeRDP 3.23.0

  1. Check current FreeRDP version using 'freerdp-version' or 'xfreerdp /version'
  2. Upgrade FreeRDP to version 3.23.0 or later
  3. For Linux distributions: use the distribution's package manager (e.g., apt-get update && apt-get upgrade freerdp, yum update freerdp, or dnf update freerdp)
  4. For builds from source: download FreeRDP 3.23.0 or later from https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/releases and rebuild
  5. Verify the installed version is >= 3.23.0 after upgrade

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Freerdp Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,720
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,752.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-25953 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data