Rdesktop: Remote Control with Security Holes
Security researchers iDefense have disclosed three vulnerabilities in the Rdesktop Remote Client.
The Rdesktop RDP client has three different vulnerabilities that are open to remote code injection attacks.
The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) was created by Microsoft as a basis for terminal services and is also used for remote maintenance of computers.
The first vulnerability is hidden in the "iso.c" file. An integer underflow bug triggers a heap-based buffer overflow on processing manipulated RDP requests. An input validation error in "rdp.c" results in a BSS-based buffer overflow triggered by redirect requests, and an error in the "xrealloc()" function also leads to a heap-based buffer overflow .
According to iDenfense the errors affect Rdesktop version 1.5.0, which was released in September 2006. Earlier versions of the application may be affected. The Rdesktop developers have already removed the vulnerabilities on the CVS. Regular users are thus advised to build the RDP client from the current source code. Users who prefer to avoid the overhead, are advised to reject incoming offers of support from unknown sources.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.
-
AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using “Hideous” Code
A Linux developer used AI to fix bottlenecks that caused problems when building the kernel. The resulting AI-generated code needed a lot of work.
-
Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
-
Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
-
China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.