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CVE Record

CVE-2025-26594: X.org: xwayland: use-after-free of the root cursor

A use-after-free flaw was found in X.Org and Xwayland. The root cursor is referenced in the X server as a global variable. If a client frees the root cursor, the internal reference points to freed memory and causes a use-after-free.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a high-severity local flaw in X.Org and Xwayland. A logged-in client can free a cursor object that the server still trusts, leaving it to use freed memory. For businesses, risk is concentrated on Linux desktops, VNC environments, and servers exposing graphical sessions to less-trusted users.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority patching item where Linux graphical sessions are shared, remotely accessed, or used by less-trusted users. It is not evidenced as actively exploited in the provided sources, but the potential impact is broad enough to avoid deferral.

Technical view

CVE-2025-26594 is a CWE-416 use-after-free involving the root cursor global reference in X.Org/Xwayland. The source bundle rates it CVSS 7.8: local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Likely exposure

Affected exposure is tied to listed Red Hat xorg-x11-server, xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, and tigervnc packages across RHEL 6 ELS, 7 ELS, 8 variants, 9 variants, and 10. Other distributions should be assessed through their vendor advisories.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges, not remote network-only access. Impact could include X server compromise or denial of service, but sources provided do not include exploit maturity details.

Researcher notes

The key behavior is a stale global root cursor reference after client-triggered free, producing a use-after-free. The bundle provides affected Red Hat package streams and Debian LTS context, but not exploit proof, fixed version detail for every ecosystem, or runtime detection indicators.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the relevant Red Hat security advisory updates for affected packages.
  • Check Debian and other distribution advisories for matching fixed packages.
  • Prioritize multi-user desktops, VDI, VNC, and graphical jump hosts.
  • Limit untrusted local access to graphical sessions until patched.
  • Follow vendor guidance if your package version is not listed.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory installed xorg-x11-server, Xwayland, and tigervnc package versions.
  • Map systems to the affected Red Hat product/version entries.
  • Confirm vendor errata or distribution updates have been applied.
  • Verify graphical session hosts used by multiple users are included.
  • Document exceptions where vendor guidance is unavailable or incomplete.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2025-26594 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
19Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-26594Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. Source timelineredhat

    Reported to Red Hat.

  3. Source timelineredhat

    Made public.

  4. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
Unknown vendorxserverxserver, 0, 22.0.0unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:24.1.5-3.el10_0affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Extended Lifecycle Support - EXTENSIONtigervnc, 0:1.1.0-25.el6_10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Supporttigervnc, 0:1.8.0-36.el7_9affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Supportxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.4-30.el7_9affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8tigervnc, 0:1.13.1-15.el8_10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.9.0-15.el8_2.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.11.0-8.el8_4.12affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Servicetigervnc, 0:1.11.0-8.el8_4.12affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutionstigervnc, 0:1.11.0-8.el8_4.12affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.12.0-6.el8_6.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Telecommunications Update Servicetigervnc, 0:1.12.0-6.el8_6.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Update Services for SAP Solutionstigervnc, 0:1.12.0-6.el8_6.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.12.0-15.el8_8.12affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9tigervnc, 0:1.14.1-1.el9_5.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9xorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-28.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:23.2.7-3.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutionstigervnc, 0:1.11.0-22.el9_0.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.12.0-14.el9_2.10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Supporttigervnc, 0:1.13.1-8.el9_4.5affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6xorg-x11-serverunknown
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8xorg-x11-serverunaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8xorg-x11-server-Xwaylandunaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-416

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.