VulnerabilityAnalyzed

CVE-2015-3306

ProFTPD Improper Access Control Vulnerability

KEVEXPLOIT ×4 ✓CRITICAL 10.0EPSS 99.5%

Does this matter?

Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 11 October 2026). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.

Description

The mod_copy module in ProFTPD 1.3.5 allows remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

CVSS 3.1: 10.0 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 99.50% probability · 100th percentile
Public exploits: 4 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 13 April 2015
CISA KEV: Listed 8 October 2026 · due 11 October 2026
Weakness: CWE-284
Affected: fedoraproject/fedora · debian/debian linux · opensuse/tumbleweed · suse/linux enterprise server · proftpd/proftpd
Source: cve@mitre.org

EPSS trend

EPSS moved from 98.0% on 9 October 2026 to 99.5% on 30 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.

CISA notes

Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines. This vulnerability could affect an open-source component, third-party library, protocol, or proprietary implementation that could be used by different products. For more information, please see: http://www.proftpd.org/ ; https://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2015/msg00154.html ; https://lists.opensuse.org/archives/list/updates@lists.opensuse.org/message/WE6YZRG5UVXMGQ7IVDRYBPIWV4M6UUGM/ ; BOD 26-04: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; Forensics Triage Requirements: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3306

Public exploits (4)

Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.

EDB-ID	Title	Type	Published	Verified
EDB-49908 source ↗	ProFTPd 1.3.5 - 'mod_copy' Remote Command Execution (2)linux · Shellbr3ak	remote	26 May 2021	yes
EDB-37262 source ↗	ProFTPd 1.3.5 - 'mod_copy' Command Execution (Metasploit)linux · Metasploit	remote	10 June 2015	yes
EDB-36803 source ↗	ProFTPd 1.3.5 - 'mod_copy' Remote Command Executionlinux · R-73eN	remote	21 April 2015	no
EDB-36742 source ↗	ProFTPd 1.3.5 - File Copylinux · anonymous	remote	13 April 2015	yes

References

http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157053.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157054.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157581.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2015-06/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131505/ProFTPd-1.3.5-File-Copy.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131555/ProFTPd-1.3.5-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131567/ProFTPd-CPFR-CPTO-Proof-Of-Concept.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132218/ProFTPD-1.3.5-Mod_Copy-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162777/ProFTPd-1.3.5-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3263Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/unix/ftp/proftpd_modcopy_execThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74238Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/36742/Exploit
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/36803/Exploit
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157053.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157054.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-May/157581.htmlBroken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2015-06/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131505/ProFTPd-1.3.5-File-Copy.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131555/ProFTPd-1.3.5-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131567/ProFTPd-CPFR-CPTO-Proof-Of-Concept.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132218/ProFTPD-1.3.5-Mod_Copy-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162777/ProFTPd-1.3.5-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, VDB Entry
http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3263Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/unix/ftp/proftpd_modcopy_execThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74238Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/36742/Exploit
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/36803/Exploit
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2015-3306US Government Resource

Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.