CVE-2026-73241
CVE-2026-73241 — FreeRDP: RDSTLS server authentication bypass: a credential-less Capabilities PDU is accepted at the auth step (fail-open `resultCode`)
FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to 3.30.0, FreeRDP server-side RDSTLS in libfreerdp/core/rdstls.c accepts an attacker-supplied RDSTLS_TYPE_CAPABILITIES PDU while rdstls_server_authenticate is waiting for RDSTLS_TYPE_AUTHREQ, leaving resultCode at RDSTLS_RESULT_SUCCESS and allowing a remote unauthenticated client to bypass the RedirectionGuid, username, domain, or password checks. This issue is fixed in version 3.30.0.
Published Updated Sources: NVD, FreeRDP (CNA), GitHub, SOCRadar CTI
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.
Exploitation
Exploit code
public exploit, none observed
EPSS
0%
ahead of 0% of scored CVEs
CVSS base
8.3
high
Remediation
The vendor's own words where we have them.
Upgrade FreeRDP to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.
- Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
- Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreeRDP | FreeRDP | < 3.30.0 | Vulnerable |
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3 | CVSS 4.0 | high | — | — | FreeRDP (CNA) |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
What this weakness leads to
MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.
CWE-287 · Improper Authentication
- Read Application Data
- Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
- Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Mitigation: Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.::
Weakness & attack patterns
- CWE-287Improper Authentication
Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.
- T1548Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism
- T1040Network Sniffing
- T1185Browser Session Hijacking
Public exploit
Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.
Repositories
1
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.
- Search application, proxy, and WAF logs for requests touching /core/rdstls.c.
- Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 1 public PoC repositories were reported.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.
- 2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 8.3
Aug 11, 2026 · NVD
Initial · CVE published
Aug 11, 2026 · NVD
CVE published by mitre
Aug 11, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
References
4 on the record
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/commit/b05a9510787c83c87ffc5fa8d7cc9f06ed971695
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, Mitre
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/pull/13065
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, Mitre
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/releases/tag/3.30.0
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, Mitre
- github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/security/advisories/GHSA-rqgv-grx4-xm6x
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, Mitre
Elsewhere on this site
- FreeRDPevery CVE for this vendor
- Auth Bypasssame class
- CWE-287other pages naming this weakness
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-73241 is FreeRDP: RDSTLS server authentication bypass: a credential-less Capabilities PDU is accepted at the auth step (fail-open `resultCode`), a high vulnerability affecting FreeRDP from FreeRDP. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-73241. Public exploit evidence is: 1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 8.3 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.