CVE-2026-78254
The ftp and scp tasks of Apache Ant can download files from a remote server.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.54%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
The ftp and scp tasks of Apache Ant can download files from a remote server. A malicious server can provide relative paths that allow it to write outside of the dedicated target directory for the download, making it possible to overwrite files of the attacker's choice using the permissions of the user running Ant in versions prior to Ant 1.10.18. In order to exploit this vulnerability, the server would either have to be malicious or be subject to a machine-in-the-middle attack. Additionally in the case of scp or the ftp task using ftps the server must pass the server identity checks performed by the tasks. For ftp tasks not using ftps a malicious server could act as a machine-in-the-middle to provide malicious files. Starting with Ant 1.10.18 both tasks will prevent writing outside of the destination directory by default. An option is available to disable this behavior in the unlikely case that the old behavior is required by existing build files. Mitigations: Users of scp and ftp (when using ftps) in any version of Ant should not bypass server identity checks. Users of ftp not using ftps should switch to ftps where possible. All users are recommended to upgrade to Apache Ant 1.10.18, which fixes this issue.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.4 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- EPSS
- 0.54% probability · 44th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-23
- Affected
- apache/ant
- Source
- security@apache.org
References
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/05s46qrlbhd06c6rsgvxh8zo0l4p9sczMailing List, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/06/2Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.