Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-XM7R-423X-5463

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-08-20 18:30 – Updated: 2025-09-24 18:30

Details

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

9.8 (Critical)


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

9.3 (Critical)


                  
                    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

Show details on source website

JSON

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{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2010-20103"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-912"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2025-08-20T16:15:34Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "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.",
  "id": "GHSA-xm7r-423x-5463",
  "modified": "2025-09-24T18:30:23Z",
  "published": "2025-08-20T18:30:21Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-20103"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://advisories.checkpoint.com/defense/advisories/public/2011/cpai-2010-151.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor.rb"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212129/http://rsync.proftpd.org"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/proftpd-backdoor-command-execution"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.proftpd.org"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "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",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2010-20103 (GCVE-0-2010-20103)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-08-20 15:38 – Updated: 2026-04-07 14:01 X_Known Exploited Vulnerability

Title

ProFTPD 1.3.3c Backdoor Command Execution

Summary

Severity

9.3 (Critical)


                        
                          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

SSVC

Exploitation: poc Automatable: yes Technical Impact: total

CISA Coordinator (v2.0.3)

CWE

CWE-912 - Hidden Functionality

Assigner

VulnCheck

References

8 references

URL	Tags
https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212129/http:/…	vendor-advisorypatch
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasplo…	exploit
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15662	exploit
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16921	exploit
https://advisories.checkpoint.com/defense/advisor…	third-party-advisory
https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd	product
http://www.proftpd.org/	product
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/proftpd-back…	third-party-advisory

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
ProFTPD Project	ProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon)	Affected: 1.3.3c

Date Public

2010-12-02 00:00

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

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                  },
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                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2025-08-22T15:44:16.891816Z",
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Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

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.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Action not permitted

GHSA-XM7R-423X-5463

CVE-2010-20103 (GCVE-0-2010-20103)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature