CVE-2010-10014 in Secure FTP
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2025
Odin Secure FTP <= 4.1 is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow when parsing directory listings received in response to an FTP LIST command. A malicious FTP server can send an overly long filename in the directory listing, which overflows a fixed-size stack buffer in the client and overwrites the Structured Exception Handler (SEH). This allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the client system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-10014 affects Odin Secure FTP version 4.1 and earlier, representing a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw that arises during the processing of FTP directory listings. This issue manifests when the client application receives a response to an FTP LIST command containing an excessively long filename that exceeds the allocated stack buffer size. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the FTP client's parsing routine for directory listing responses, creating a scenario where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves a malicious FTP server deliberately crafting a directory listing response with an oversized filename field that exceeds the fixed-size buffer allocated on the stack. When the Odin Secure FTP client processes this malformed response, the buffer overflow propagates beyond the intended memory boundaries and specifically overwrites the Structured Exception Handler (SEH) chain that Windows uses for exception handling. This manipulation of the SEH chain allows an attacker to redirect program execution flow to malicious code injected into the stack, effectively enabling remote code execution on the victim's system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it represents a remote code execution vector that can be exploited without authentication requirements. An attacker merely needs to control an FTP server that a victim might connect to, making this particularly dangerous in scenarios involving public FTP servers or when users connect to untrusted FTP services. The vulnerability affects systems running the affected version of Odin Secure FTP, potentially compromising user data, system integrity, and network security posture. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates to versions that address the buffer overflow issue. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to potentially malicious FTP servers and deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous FTP traffic patterns. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted FTP clients and ensure that users are educated about the risks of connecting to untrusted FTP servers. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in network protocol implementations, emphasizing the need for defensive programming practices that prevent buffer overflow conditions through proper memory management and validation routines.