CVE-2026-23883Network attack vector

Client crash via failed pointer-update double free

Published Jan 19, 2026 · Updated Jan 19, 2026

Use-after-free in FreeRDP before 3.21.0 allows remote attackers controlling an RDP server to crash an X11 client via pointer updates. On an image-copy failure, xf_Pointer_New frees cursorPixels without clearing it, and the caller's cleanup path reaches xf_Pointer_Free and frees the same allocation again. The client must process a crafted pointer update from a malicious server; a crash is demonstrated, while heap corruption creates an unproven code-execution risk.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in FreeRDP before 3.21.0 allows remote attackers controlling an RDP server to crash an X11 client via pointer updates. On an image-copy failure, xf_Pointer_New frees cursorPixels without clearing it, and the caller's cleanup path reaches xf_Pointer_Free and frees the same allocation again. The client must process a crafted pointer update from a malicious server; a crash is demonstrated, while heap corruption creates an unproven code-execution risk.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23883
Published
Jan 19, 2026
Updated
Jan 19, 2026
Vendor
FreeRDP
Product
FreeRDP
Classifications
CWE-416, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 19, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 3.21.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

FreeRDP · FreeRDPversion=< 3.21.0

Published CVSS scores

7.7GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.6Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo