CVE-2010-4153 in CrossFTP Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in CrossFTP Pro 1.65a, and probably earlier, allows remote FTP servers to write arbitrary files via a "..\" (dot dot backslash) in a filename.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4153 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within CrossFTP Pro version 1.65a and potentially earlier releases. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize filename parameters received from remote FTP servers. The vulnerability specifically manifests when a malicious FTP server attempts to exploit the software's file handling routines by incorporating "..\" sequences within filenames, which should normally be rejected or properly escaped to prevent unauthorized file system access.
This directory traversal vulnerability operates at the application level and directly impacts the file system integrity of systems running the affected CrossFTP Pro software. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the file creation process by crafting specially formatted filenames containing the "..\" sequence, which allows them to traverse directory structures and potentially overwrite or create files in locations outside the intended target directory. The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The attack vector leverages the software's insufficient validation of user-supplied input, specifically filename data, which is processed without adequate sanitization before being used in file system operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file system manipulation to potentially compromise the entire system integrity and confidentiality. An attacker exploiting this flaw could gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, inject malicious files, or even establish persistent access points within the compromised system. The vulnerability affects systems where CrossFTP Pro is used to connect to FTP servers, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple users may be accessing various FTP resources. This flaw can be exploited remotely without requiring any special privileges on the target system, as the vulnerability exists within the client-side application rather than requiring system-level access or authentication.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4153 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the directory traversal vulnerability. System administrators should implement network-level restrictions to prevent access to potentially malicious FTP servers and consider implementing strict firewall rules that limit FTP traffic to trusted sources. Additionally, the affected software should be configured to disable automatic file name processing from untrusted sources, and all file system operations should be validated against a strict whitelist of allowed characters and directory paths. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for suspicious file system activity patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper access control mechanisms as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of "Path Traversal" and the broader category of "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications that may be susceptible to the same class of directory traversal attacks, particularly those handling user-supplied data in file system operations.