CVE-2023-40576 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A detailed overview of the CVE-2023-40576 vulnerability in FreeRDP.

Understanding CVE-2023-40576

This section provides insights into the vulnerability and its impact.

What is CVE-2023-40576?

FreeRDP, a free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), is susceptible to an Out-Of-Bounds Read in the

RleDecompress

function. This vulnerability arises due to inadequate validation of data length in the

pbSrcBuffer

variable, potentially leading to errors or crashes. The issue has been resolved in version 3.0.0-beta3.

The Impact of CVE-2023-40576

The vulnerability poses a medium severity threat with a CVSS base score of 5.3. Attack complexity is low, and exploit requires no privileges, impacting system availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-40576

Explore the technical aspects of the vulnerability in this section.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows malicious actors to trigger an Out-Of-Bounds Read by manipulating the

pbSrcBuffer

data, which could result in system instability.

Affected Systems and Versions

The issue affects FreeRDP versions >= 3.0.0-beta1 and < 3.0.0-beta3, leaving systems within this range vulnerable to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability involves crafting malicious input to the

RleDecompress

function, bypassing data length checks to read or modify unintended memory areas.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to safeguard your systems against CVE-2023-40576.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are urged to update FreeRDP to version 3.0.0-beta3 or later to mitigate the risk of exploitation. No viable workarounds are currently available.

Long-Term Security Practices

Practicing secure coding, regular software updates, and monitoring for security advisories can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about FreeRDP security advisories and promptly apply patches to stay protected against known vulnerabilities.