CVE-2010-20103 (GCVE-0-2010-20103)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-08-20 15:38 – Updated: 2025-11-20 02:01
VLAI?
Summary
A malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.
Severity ?
CWE
- CWE-912 - Hidden Functionality
Assigner
References
| URL | Tags | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Impacted products
| Vendor | Product | Version | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProFTPD Project | ProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon) |
Affected:
1.3.3c
|
{
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"metrics": [
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2010-20103",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "poc"
},
{
"Automatable": "yes"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2025-08-22T15:44:16.891816Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2025-08-22T15:44:20.670Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"references": [
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921"
},
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662"
},
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb"
}
],
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"modules": [
"core daemon"
],
"product": "ProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon)",
"repo": "https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd",
"vendor": "ProFTPD Project",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "1.3.3c"
}
]
}
],
"cpeApplicability": [
{
"nodes": [
{
"cpeMatch": [
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:proftpd:proftpd:1.3.3c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"vulnerable": true
}
],
"negate": false,
"operator": "OR"
}
],
"operator": "OR"
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"supportingMedia": [
{
"base64": false,
"type": "text/html",
"value": "\u003cp\u003eA malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.\u003c/p\u003e"
}
],
"value": "A malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host."
}
],
"impacts": [
{
"capecId": "CAPEC-88",
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "CAPEC-88 OS Command Injection"
}
]
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV4_0": {
"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
"Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
"attackComplexity": "LOW",
"attackRequirements": "NONE",
"attackVector": "NETWORK",
"baseScore": 9.3,
"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED",
"subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
"subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
"subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
"vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
"version": "4.0",
"vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH",
"vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"
},
"format": "CVSS",
"scenarios": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "GENERAL"
}
]
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-912",
"description": "CWE-912 Hidden Functionality",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-20T02:01:08.297Z",
"orgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10",
"shortName": "VulnCheck"
},
"references": [
{
"tags": [
"vendor-advisory",
"patch"
],
"url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212129/http://rsync.proftpd.org/"
},
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb"
},
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662"
},
{
"tags": [
"exploit"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921"
},
{
"tags": [
"third-party-advisory"
],
"url": "https://advisories.checkpoint.com/defense/advisories/public/2011/cpai-2010-151.html/"
},
{
"tags": [
"product"
],
"url": "https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd"
},
{
"tags": [
"product"
],
"url": "http://www.proftpd.org/"
},
{
"tags": [
"third-party-advisory"
],
"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/proftpd-backdoor-command-execution"
}
],
"source": {
"discovery": "UNKNOWN"
},
"tags": [
"x_known-exploited-vulnerability"
],
"title": "ProFTPD 1.3.3c Backdoor Command Execution",
"x_generator": {
"engine": "vulncheck"
}
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10",
"assignerShortName": "VulnCheck",
"cveId": "CVE-2010-20103",
"datePublished": "2025-08-20T15:38:46.697Z",
"dateReserved": "2025-08-19T16:00:37.400Z",
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-20T02:01:08.297Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2010-20103\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"published\":\"2025-08-20T16:15:34.137\",\"lastModified\":\"2025-09-24T17:02:12.460\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Analyzed\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"A malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.\"},{\"lang\":\"es\",\"value\":\"Una puerta trasera maliciosa se integr\u00f3 en official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball, distribuido entre el 28 de noviembre y el 2 de diciembre de 2010. Esta puerta trasera implementa un disparador de comandos FTP oculto que, al ser invocado, provoca que el servidor ejecute comandos de shell arbitrarios con privilegios de root. Esto permite a atacantes remotos no autenticados ejecutar cualquier comando del sistema operativo en el host del servidor FTP.\"}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV40\":[{\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"4.0\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X\",\"baseScore\":9.3,\"baseSeverity\":\"CRITICAL\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"attackRequirements\":\"NONE\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"vulnConfidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"vulnIntegrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"vulnAvailabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"subConfidentialityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"subIntegrityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"subAvailabilityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"exploitMaturity\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"confidentialityRequirement\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"integrityRequirement\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"availabilityRequirement\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedAttackVector\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedAttackComplexity\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedAttackRequirements\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedPrivilegesRequired\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedUserInteraction\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedSubIntegrityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"Safety\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"Automatable\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"Recovery\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"valueDensity\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"vulnerabilityResponseEffort\":\"NOT_DEFINED\",\"providerUrgency\":\"NOT_DEFINED\"}}],\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"nvd@nist.gov\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":9.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"CRITICAL\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":3.9,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-912\"}]}],\"configurations\":[{\"nodes\":[{\"operator\":\"OR\",\"negate\":false,\"cpeMatch\":[{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:proftpd:proftpd:1.3.3:c:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"15837EC9-F392-4ACD-A292-7ECD413D54BA\"}]}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"http://www.proftpd.org/\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Product\"]},{\"url\":\"https://advisories.checkpoint.com/defense/advisories/public/2011/cpai-2010-151.html/\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Third Party Advisory\"]},{\"url\":\"https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Product\"]},{\"url\":\"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"Third Party Advisory\"]},{\"url\":\"https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212129/http://rsync.proftpd.org/\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Release Notes\"]},{\"url\":\"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"VDB Entry\"]},{\"url\":\"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"VDB Entry\"]},{\"url\":\"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/proftpd-backdoor-command-execution\",\"source\":\"disclosure@vulncheck.com\",\"tags\":[\"Third Party Advisory\"]},{\"url\":\"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb\",\"source\":\"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"Third Party Advisory\"]},{\"url\":\"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662\",\"source\":\"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"VDB Entry\"]},{\"url\":\"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921\",\"source\":\"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\",\"tags\":[\"Exploit\",\"VDB Entry\"]}]}}",
"vulnrichment": {
"containers": "{\"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2010-20103\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"poc\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"yes\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"total\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2025-08-22T15:44:16.891816Z\"}}}], \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2025-08-22T15:43:46.558Z\"}}], \"cna\": {\"tags\": [\"x_known-exploited-vulnerability\"], \"title\": \"ProFTPD 1.3.3c Backdoor Command Execution\", \"source\": {\"discovery\": \"UNKNOWN\"}, \"impacts\": [{\"capecId\": \"CAPEC-88\", \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"CAPEC-88 OS Command Injection\"}]}], \"metrics\": [{\"format\": \"CVSS\", \"cvssV4_0\": {\"Safety\": \"NOT_DEFINED\", \"version\": \"4.0\", \"Recovery\": \"NOT_DEFINED\", \"baseScore\": 9.3, \"Automatable\": \"NOT_DEFINED\", \"attackVector\": \"NETWORK\", \"baseSeverity\": \"CRITICAL\", \"valueDensity\": \"NOT_DEFINED\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N\", \"providerUrgency\": \"NOT_DEFINED\", \"userInteraction\": \"NONE\", \"attackComplexity\": \"LOW\", \"attackRequirements\": \"NONE\", \"privilegesRequired\": \"NONE\", \"subIntegrityImpact\": \"NONE\", \"vulnIntegrityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"subAvailabilityImpact\": \"NONE\", \"vulnAvailabilityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"subConfidentialityImpact\": \"NONE\", \"vulnConfidentialityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"vulnerabilityResponseEffort\": \"NOT_DEFINED\"}, \"scenarios\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"GENERAL\"}]}], \"affected\": [{\"repo\": \"https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd\", \"vendor\": \"ProFTPD Project\", \"modules\": [\"core daemon\"], \"product\": \"ProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon)\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"1.3.3c\"}], \"defaultStatus\": \"unaffected\"}], \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212129/http://rsync.proftpd.org/\", \"tags\": [\"vendor-advisory\", \"patch\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921\", \"tags\": [\"exploit\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://advisories.checkpoint.com/defense/advisories/public/2011/cpai-2010-151.html/\", \"tags\": [\"third-party-advisory\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd\", \"tags\": [\"product\"]}, {\"url\": \"http://www.proftpd.org/\", \"tags\": [\"product\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/proftpd-backdoor-command-execution\", \"tags\": [\"third-party-advisory\"]}], \"x_generator\": {\"engine\": \"vulncheck\"}, \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"A malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.\", \"supportingMedia\": [{\"type\": \"text/html\", \"value\": \"\u003cp\u003eA malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.\u003c/p\u003e\", \"base64\": false}]}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\", \"cweId\": \"CWE-912\", \"description\": \"CWE-912 Hidden Functionality\"}]}], \"cpeApplicability\": [{\"nodes\": [{\"negate\": false, \"cpeMatch\": [{\"criteria\": \"cpe:2.3:a:proftpd:proftpd:1.3.3c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\", \"vulnerable\": true}], \"operator\": \"OR\"}], \"operator\": \"OR\"}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10\", \"shortName\": \"VulnCheck\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2025-11-20T02:01:08.297Z\"}}}",
"cveMetadata": "{\"cveId\": \"CVE-2010-20103\", \"state\": \"PUBLISHED\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2025-11-20T02:01:08.297Z\", \"dateReserved\": \"2025-08-19T16:00:37.400Z\", \"assignerOrgId\": \"83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10\", \"datePublished\": \"2025-08-20T15:38:46.697Z\", \"assignerShortName\": \"VulnCheck\"}",
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2"
}
}
}
Loading…
Loading…
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Loading…
Loading…