CVE-2010-4095 in Robo-FTP
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the FTP client in Serengeti Systems Incorporated Robo-FTP 3.7.3, and probably other versions before 3.7.5, allows remote FTP servers to write arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a filename in a server response.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4095 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the FTP client component of Robo-FTP version 3.7.3 and potentially earlier releases. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize filename responses received from remote FTP servers during file transfer operations. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the client encounters filename strings containing .. (dot dot) sequences in server responses, which should normally be interpreted as parent directory references and blocked to prevent unauthorized file system access.
From a technical perspective, this directory traversal vulnerability operates by exploiting the FTP client's failure to properly validate or sanitize filenames received from remote servers. When a remote FTP server responds with filenames containing directory traversal sequences such as ..\ or ../, the Robo-FTP client processes these strings without adequate sanitization, potentially allowing malicious servers to write files outside of intended directories. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the file system by creating or overwriting files in arbitrary locations, potentially leading to privilege escalation or system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file system manipulation, as it provides attackers with potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker controlling a malicious FTP server can exploit this weakness to write malicious files into system directories, potentially including executable code that could be executed by the Robo-FTP client when processing subsequent file operations. This could lead to unauthorized code execution, privilege escalation, or complete system compromise depending on the permissions under which the Robo-FTP client operates. The vulnerability affects not only file creation but also file overwriting capabilities, making it a particularly dangerous weakness in environments where automated FTP operations are performed with elevated privileges.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2010-4095 involves immediate upgrading to Robo-FTP version 3.7.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the directory traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running Robo-FTP to untrusted FTP servers. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file system activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving directory traversal and privilege escalation, specifically T1068 for locally executed commands and T1566 for credential access through malicious file downloads. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level firewalls that restrict FTP traffic to trusted servers and monitor for suspicious filename patterns in FTP responses to detect potential exploitation attempts.