ProFTPD before 1.3.9c and 1.3.10rc3 contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the mod_sftp module that allows authenticated low-privilege attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution by sending crafted SFTP packet fragments exceeding the 16 KB reassembly buffer in the fxp.c component. Attackers can supply oversized fragments to trigger an incorrectly conditioned reallocation, corrupt pool freelist metadata, overwrite the root_fs BSS global pointer to reference a fake filesystem struct, and redirect pr_fsio_stat() to system() via a crafted RENAME request.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from proftpd organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2026, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2026-07-20T15:16:45.213
2026-07-30T17:19:14.403
Analyzed
CVSSv3.1: 8.8 (HIGH)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | proftpd | proftpd | < 1.3.9c | Yes |
| Application | proftpd | proftpd | 1.3.10 | Yes |
| Application | proftpd | proftpd | 1.3.10 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For proftpd's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.