CVE-2023-51713 Scanner

ProFTPD is an open-source FTP server software widely used for transferring files over the Internet. It is primarily used by organizations requiring robust and secure file transfer capabilities. The software is popular among web hosting companies and educational institutions for managing large volumes of file transfers. ProFTPD supports numerous configuration options and can be integrated with various authentication mechanisms. Known for its flexibility, administrators can customize ProFTPD to meet specific organizational needs. Its widespread use highlights the importance of ensuring its security and reliability.

The Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability in ProFTPD before version 1.3.8a is due to a one-byte out-of-bounds read. This vulnerability is located in the make_ftp_cmd function in main.c, which can lead to a crash of the daemon. The flaw makes it possible for an attacker to disrupt the service, rendering it unavailable to legitimate users. This disruption could be leveraged by attackers to perform denial-of-service attacks, which can severely impact business operations relying on continuous file transfer services. Ensuring this vulnerability is patched is crucial to maintaining service availability.

The technical aspect of the vulnerability involves an out-of-bounds read in the make_ftp_cmd function. This error occurs when the software attempts to read memory beyond the expected boundary, which can potentially lead to a crash. This situation arises when processing certain FTP commands, specifically crafted by an attacker to exploit this flaw. The vulnerability can be triggered remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous. It requires careful attention from system administrators to ensure that the software is updated to a secure version.

Exploiting this vulnerability could result in significant disruption of services provided by ProFTPD. If compromised, the service could become unavailable, affecting business operations and leading to potential data transfer delays. In environments where continuous data flow is critical, this could lead to loss of productivity and trust from clients. The vulnerability could be used as a pretext for further attacks, such as facilitating unauthorized data access by crashing security mechanisms that rely on ProFTPD. Mitigation is essential to prevent these potential effects.

REFERENCES

• https://github.com/proftpd/proftpd/blob/1.3.8/NEWS