---
id: CVE-2026-18358
title: >-
  Gnome-remote-desktop: gnome-remote-desktop system-mode rdp server missing
  connection throttling allows unauthenticated denial of service
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in gnome-remote-desktop as shipped in Red Hat Enterprise
  Linux. When the daemon is running in system mode with RDP enabled, the
  incoming connection handler bypasses the connection throttler, allowing an
  unauthenticated r…
severity: high
cvss: 7.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-400
vendor: GNOME
product: gnome-remote-desktop
affected:
  - gnome-remote-desktop
  - gnome-remote-desktop (all versions)
  - gnome-remote-desktop (all versions)
  - gnome-remote-desktop
  - gnome-remote-desktop
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'yes'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-07-31T19:53:47.483959Z'
published: '2026-07-31'
updated: '2026-10-20'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-20T23:29:56.590Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18358'
references:
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54512'
    label: 'RHSA-2026:54512'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:86194'
    label: 'RHSA-2026:86194'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-18358'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2462876'
    label: RHBZ#2462876
tags:
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00522
epssPercentile: 0.43153
ingestedAt: '2026-10-21T00:36:05.402Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in gnome-remote-desktop as shipped in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. When the daemon is running in system mode with RDP enabled, the incoming connection handler bypasses the connection throttler, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to open many parallel pre-authentication connections to the RDP listener. This can accumulate accepted sockets and pending routing-token operations until timeout, exhausting resources and preventing legitimate users from establishing RDP sessions. This issue does not affect the upstream version.

## Affected

- `gnome-remote-desktop`
- `gnome-remote-desktop (all versions)`
- `gnome-remote-desktop (all versions)`
- `gnome-remote-desktop`
- `gnome-remote-desktop`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

### Workarounds

If system-mode RDP is not required, disable it. If it must remain enabled, restrict the RDP listener (default port 3389) to trusted hosts or management networks using host-based firewall rules.