CVE-2026-22856 FreeRDP has a heap-use-after-free in create_irp_thread
A race condition in FreeRDP's serial channel IRP thread tracking allows heap use-after-free, potentially leading to code execution or denial of service.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-22856?
CVE-2026-22856 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Freerdp Freerdp, published on 14 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to 3.20.1, a race in the serial channel IRP thread tracking allows a heap use‑after‑free when one thread removes an entry from serial->IrpThreads while another reads it. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.20.1.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-22856?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Freerdp Freerdp.
How do I fix CVE-2026-22856?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-22856 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-22856 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Freerdp Freerdp
- CVE-2021-37594 Other in n/a
- CVE-2021-37595 Other in n/a
- CVE-2026-67305 FreeRDP Windows Client before 3.29.0 Heap Buffer Overflow via Cliprdr
- CVE-2026-66402 FreeRDP before 3.29.0 TLS Certificate Identity Validation Bypass
- CVE-2026-67289 FreeRDP before 3.29.0 HTTP Proxy Request Injection via Redirection
Sources
Also known as CLSA-2026-1771407667, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-22856, GHSA-w842-c386-fxhv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-22856.