CVE-2024-1190 in CuteFTP
Summary
by MITRE • 02/02/2024
A vulnerability was found in Global Scape CuteFTP 9.3.0.3 and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality. The manipulation of the argument Host/Username/Password leads to denial of service. The attack needs to be approached locally. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-252680. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1190 represents a denial of service flaw within Global Scape CuteFTP version 9.3.0.3 that stems from improper handling of authentication parameters. This issue affects the fundamental connection functionality of the FTP client software and demonstrates a critical weakness in input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests when maliciously crafted arguments for Host, Username, or Password fields are provided during the connection process, leading to system instability and complete service disruption. The attack vector requires local access to the system, meaning that an attacker must already have user-level privileges or physical access to execute the exploit successfully.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-20, which specifically addresses "Improper Input Validation" in software systems. The flaw demonstrates how inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data can result in system-wide service degradation. The denial of service condition occurs because the application fails to properly validate and sanitize the input parameters before processing them through the connection establishment routines. When malformed data is passed through the Host/Username/Password parameters, the application's internal state management becomes corrupted, leading to a complete system freeze or crash that prevents further legitimate connections. The vulnerability's classification as a local attack means that it cannot be exploited remotely over a network, but rather requires physical or local system access, which limits its scope but does not diminish its impact on systems where local access is possible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption as it can effectively render the entire FTP client application unusable for legitimate users. This type of denial of service attack can be particularly damaging in enterprise environments where FTP clients are used for critical data transfers and automated processes. The fact that this exploit has been publicly disclosed and is potentially available for use increases the risk profile significantly, as it removes the element of exploit novelty that would typically provide some protection against attacks. Organizations using CuteFTP 9.3.0.3 are particularly vulnerable since the vendor has not provided any response to the disclosure, indicating either a lack of awareness or insufficient prioritization of the issue. This lack of vendor response creates a dangerous situation where organizations must rely on their own mitigation strategies while the vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate access control measures and application hardening. System administrators should implement strict local access controls to prevent unauthorized users from executing the exploit, including disabling unnecessary user accounts and implementing proper privilege separation. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Global Scape CuteFTP, though this may not be immediately available given the vendor's lack of response. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting policies and disabling unnecessary FTP client functionality can reduce the attack surface. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service, specifically targeting the execution and persistence phases where local access can be leveraged to compromise system availability. Organizations should also prepare incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts and consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure rapid deployment of security updates when they become available.