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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2026-25941 FreeRDP CVE debrief

CVE-2026-25941 is a MEDIUM-severity vulnerability affecting FreeRDP, a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Versions 2.x prior to 2.11.8 and 3.x prior to 3.23.0 are vulnerable to an out-of-bounds read issue in the RDPGFX channel. A malicious RDP server can exploit this by sending a crafted WIRE_TO_SURFACE_2 PDU, potentially leading to information disclosure or client crashes. The issue is fixed in versions 2.11.8 and 3.23.0.

Vendor
FreeRDP
Product
Unknown
CVSS
MEDIUM 4.3
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-02-25
Original CVE updated
2026-11-03
Advisory published
2026-02-25
Advisory updated
2026-11-03

Who should care

Defenders responsible for FreeRDP installations, especially those exposed to untrusted RDP connections, should assess their exposure and prioritize patching. This includes reviewing affected versions, verifying configurations, and ensuring that compensating controls are in place for exposed systems. Security teams should also monitor for suspicious RDP activity and review relevant logs for potential security incidents. Additionally, defenders should track

Why it matters

CVE-2026-25941 is a MEDIUM-severity vulnerability in FreeRDP that can lead to information disclosure or client crashes. Defenders should prioritize patching vulnerable installations, especially those exposed to untrusted RDP connections, and verify their exposure.

  • Potential information disclosure
  • Client crashes or instability due to out-of-bounds read
  • Need for verification of affected versions and exposure
  • Priority for patching vulnerable installations

Technical summary

The vulnerability exists in the RDPGFX channel of FreeRDP, allowing a malicious RDP server to read uninitialized heap memory by sending a crafted WIRE_TO_SURFACE_2 PDU. This can lead to information disclosure or client crashes. The issue is fixed in versions 2.11.8 and 3.23.0. Defenders should prioritize patching vulnerable installations, especially those exposed to untrusted RDP connections, and verify their exposure through a thorough review of affected versions and configurations. The vulnerability's technical details are grounded in the official CVE record and NIST NVD entry.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize patching vulnerable FreeRDP installations, especially those exposed to untrusted RDP connections.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Patch vulnerable FreeRDP installations
  • Restrict RDP access to trusted sources
  • Monitor for suspicious RDP activity
  • Review compensating controls for exposed systems
  • Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets
  • Track exceptions and retest remediated assets
  • Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, affected versions, and fixed versions. Vendor advisories and patch information are available through GitHub. Defenders should verify affected FreeRDP installations, review vendor guidance, and assess exposure to untrusted RDP connections. The vulnerability's impact is limited to information disclosure or client crashes, and there are no known instances of exploitation. Additional details can be found in the official CVE Program record and NIST NVD vulnerability detail.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-25941 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-25941

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2026-25941 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-25941

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/commit/2e3b77e28ac6a398897d28ba464dcc5dfab9c9e2

    [email protected] - Patch

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/security/advisories/GHSA-3546-x645-5cf8

    [email protected] - Exploit, Mitigation, Patch, Vendor Advisory

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.