FreeRDP is a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol. Prior to version 3.24.2, an unvalidated auth_length field read from the network triggers a WINPR_ASSERT() failure in rts_read_auth_verifier_no_checks(), causing any FreeRDP client connecting through a malicious RDP Gateway to crash with SIGABRT. This is a pre-authentication denial of service affecting all FreeRDP clients using RPC-over-HTTP gateway transport. The assertion is active in default release builds (WITH_VERBOSE_WINPR_ASSERT=ON). This issue has been patched in version 3.24.2.
Weakness
The product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary.
Affected Software
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freerdp | Freerdp | * | 3.24.2 (excluding) |
| Freerdp | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
| Freerdp3 | Ubuntu | noble | * |
| Freerdp3 | Ubuntu | questing | * |
| Freerdp3 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Extended Description
While assertion is good for catching logic errors and reducing the chances of reaching more serious vulnerability conditions, it can still lead to a denial of service. For example, if a server handles multiple simultaneous connections, and an assert() occurs in one single connection that causes all other connections to be dropped, this is a reachable assertion that leads to a denial of service.