CVE-2026-22851Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Client crash via unsynchronized framebuffer replacement

Published Jan 14, 2026 · Updated Jan 14, 2026

Heap use-after-free in the FreeRDP SDL client before 3.20.1 allows remote attackers controlling an RDP server to crash the client. ResetGraphics replaces sdl->primary while the render thread retains and blits an escaped pointer to the freed SDL surface. Exploitation requires an RDP session with the hostile server and a favorable thread race; no disclosure or code execution is demonstrated.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap use-after-free in the FreeRDP SDL client before 3.20.1 allows remote attackers controlling an RDP server to crash the client. ResetGraphics replaces sdl->primary while the render thread retains and blits an escaped pointer to the freed SDL surface. Exploitation requires an RDP session with the hostile server and a favorable thread race; no disclosure or code execution is demonstrated.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-22851
Published
Jan 14, 2026
Updated
Jan 14, 2026
Vendor
FreeRDP
Product
FreeRDP
Classifications
CWE-362, CWE-416, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 14, 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=< 3.20.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

FreeRDP · FreeRDPversion=< 3.20.1

Published CVSS scores

6.9GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
5.9NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
CWE-416Use After Free
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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