Raw 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:XSummary
CVE-2026-25952 is a medium-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Freerdp Freerdp. Its CVSS base score is 5.5 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked at the 46th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-8 (Security and Privacy Engineering Principles) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-25952 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in FreeRDP, a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol client. The issue affects versions prior to 3.23.0 and occurs in the X11 client's RAIL channel handling, specifically within the `xf_SetWindowMinMaxInfo` function. This function dereferences a freed `xfAppWindow` pointer because `xf_rail_get_window` in `xf_rail_server_min_max_info` returns an unprotected pointer retrieved from the `railWindows` hash table. A race condition arises when the main thread concurrently deletes the window via a window delete order while the RAIL channel thread continues using the pointer.
The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating exploitation over the network with low complexity, no privileges or user interaction required. A remote attacker controlling an RDP server can exploit this by sending crafted RAIL messages, such as min-max info or window delete orders, to a connecting FreeRDP client. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution, denial of service, or compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the client system.
The fix is available in FreeRDP version 3.23.0, which addresses the race condition by properly protecting the pointer usage. Relevant code changes are visible in the FreeRDP GitHub repository at specific lines in `client/X11/xf_rail.c`, including modifications around lines 1167, 1174, 1178, 1230-1238, and 643. Security practitioners should prioritize updating affected FreeRDP clients to version 3.23.0 or later to mitigate the issue.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-8732
Vulnerability Data
FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to version 3.23.0, `xf_SetWindowMinMaxInfo` dereferences a freed `xfAppWindow` pointer because `xf_rail_get_window` in `xf_rail_server_min_max_info` returns an unprotected pointer from the `railWindows` hash table, and the main thread can concurrently delete…
more
the window (via a window delete order) while the RAIL channel thread is still using the pointer. Version 3.23.0 fixes the issue.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 3 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
V1.4.3
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation can discover use-after-free bugs through dynamic analysis or fuzzing.
Engineering principles can require memory-safe constructs or languages that structurally avoid introducing use-after-free.
Process isolation confines the blast radius of use-after-free memory corruption to a single execution domain.
Memory protection controls limit exploitation impact by blocking unauthorized code execution from dangling pointers.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices directly incorporate memory-safety tooling and reviews that prevent most use-after-free defects.
Vulnerability identification processes can discover use-after-free issues via scanning or analysis but do not prevent their introduction.
Routine patching removes known use-after-free instances after they have been introduced in released software.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing in development can detect use-after-free bugs before release.
Secure SDLC mandates memory-safety practices that reduce use-after-free defects.
Application security requirements can specify memory-management rules that mitigate use-after-free.
Secure architecture principles include memory-safety design choices that limit use-after-free exposure.
Secure coding standards directly prescribe avoidance of use-after-free patterns.
Change-management processes help ensure memory-safety fixes are deployed consistently.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248592 OL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
- V-230279 RHEL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
- V-257794 RHEL 9 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416