CVE-2021-41160: FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), released under the Apache license. In affected versions a malicious server migh...

Description

FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), released under the Apache license. In affected versions a malicious server might trigger out of bound writes in a connected client. Connections using GDI or SurfaceCommands to send graphics updates to the client might send `0` width/height or out of bound rectangles to trigger out of bound writes. With `0` width or heigth the memory allocation will be `0` but the missing bounds checks allow writing to the pointer at this (not allocated) region. This issue has been patched in FreeRDP 2.4.1.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.55%

72.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Freerdp	Freerdp	< 2.4.1
Fedoraproject	Fedora	33
Fedoraproject	Fedora	34
Fedoraproject	Fedora	35

References

Timeline

Published: Oct 21, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-41160?

FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), released under the Apache license. In affected versions a malicious server might trigger out of bound writes in a connected client. Connections using GDI or SurfaceCommands to send graphics updates to the client might send `0` width/height or out of bound rectangles to trigger out of bound writes. With `0` width or heigth the memory allocation will be `0` but the missing bounds checks allow writing to the pointer at this (not allocated) region. This issue has been patched in FreeRDP 2.4.1.

How severe is CVE-2021-41160?

CVE-2021-41160 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.55% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-41160?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.