CVE-2023-40044
Progress WS_FTP Server Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 26 October 2023). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
In WS_FTP Server versions prior to 8.7.4 and 8.8.2, a pre-authenticated attacker could leverage a .NET deserialization vulnerability in the Ad Hoc Transfer module to execute remote commands on the underlying WS_FTP Server operating system.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 90.35% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 5 October 2023 · due 26 October 2023 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Weakness
- CWE-502
- Affected
- progress/ws ftp server
- Source
- security@progress.com
EPSS 90.4% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. https://community.progress.com/s/article/WS-FTP-Server-Critical-Vulnerability-September-2023; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40044
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174917/Progress-Software-WS_FTP-Unauthenticated-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://attackerkb.com/topics/bn32f9sNax/cve-2023-40044Third Party Advisory
- https://censys.com/cve-2023-40044/Third Party Advisory
- https://community.progress.com/s/article/WS-FTP-Server-Critical-Vulnerability-September-2023Vendor Advisory
- https://www.assetnote.io/resources/research/rce-in-progress-ws-ftp-ad-hoc-via-iis-http-modules-cve-2023-40044Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.progress.com/ws_ftpProduct
- https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/2023/09/29/etr-critical-vulnerabilities-in-ws_ftp-server/Broken Link, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/02/ws_ftp_update/Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174917/Progress-Software-WS_FTP-Unauthenticated-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://attackerkb.com/topics/bn32f9sNax/cve-2023-40044Third Party Advisory
- https://censys.com/cve-2023-40044/Third Party Advisory
- https://community.progress.com/s/article/WS-FTP-Server-Critical-Vulnerability-September-2023Vendor Advisory
- https://www.assetnote.io/resources/research/rce-in-progress-ws-ftp-ad-hoc-via-iis-http-modules-cve-2023-40044Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.progress.com/ws_ftpProduct
- https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/2023/09/29/etr-critical-vulnerabilities-in-ws_ftp-server/Broken Link, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/02/ws_ftp_update/Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-40044US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.