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TI-2010-05061 Aliases CVE-2010-20103GHSA-xm7r-423x-5463

ProFTPD 1.3.3c Backdoor Command Execution

Priority HIGH 81CWE-912Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.

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.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.13757 96th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 3 exploit referencesTagged by the CNA and NVD
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ProFTPD ProjectProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon)1.3.3c—No fix listedCNA
  • ProFTPD (Professional FTP Daemon) VendorProFTPD Project Affected 1.3.3c Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:proftpd:proftpd:1.3.3:c:*:*:*:*:*:*1.3.3 cVulnerableProFTPD
  • cpe:2.3:a:proftpd:proftpd:1.3.3:c:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.3.3 c Vulnerable ·ProFTPD

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2010-20103
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xm7r-423x-5463
  3. 2026-10-11 EPSS moved to the 95th–99th percentile

References

Exploit 3

Patch 1

Advisory 1

Other 2

  • TI-2006-05599 Stack-based buffer overflow in the sreplace function in ProFTPD 1.3.0 and earlier allows… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
  • TI-2003-00766 ProFTPD 1.2.7 through 1.2.9rc2 does not properly translate newline characters when… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.0
  • TI-2009-00521 SQL injection vulnerability in ProFTPD Server 1.3.1 through 1.3.2rc2 allows remote… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
  • TI-1999-00861 Buffer overflow in ProFTPD, wu-ftpd, and beroftpd allows remote attackers to gain root… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
  • TI-1999-00363 Buffer overflows in wuarchive ftpd (wu-ftpd) and ProFTPD lead to remote root access… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
  • TI-2003-00471 SQL injection vulnerability in the PostgreSQL authentication module (mod_sql_postgres)… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
See all 24 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences