CVE-2025-4848 in FTP Server
Summary
by MITRE • 05/18/2025
A vulnerability was found in FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component RECV Command Handler. The manipulation leads to buffer overflow. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-4848 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the FreeFloat FTP Server version 1.0, specifically within the RECV Command Handler component. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory regions. The affected server implementation processes incoming FTP commands through a command handler that fails to properly validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size buffers. The RECV command handler appears to be particularly susceptible to this flaw as it likely processes file transfer requests or data channel communications that could contain maliciously crafted input sequences.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote network access, allowing attackers to send specially crafted FTP commands that trigger the buffer overflow condition. When the server processes these malformed inputs through the RECV Command Handler, the insufficient input validation causes data to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. This remote attack vector significantly increases the threat surface as attackers need only establish a network connection to the FTP server to attempt exploitation. The public disclosure of exploit code further amplifies the risk, as it removes the requirement for advanced exploitation techniques and makes this vulnerability accessible to a broader range of threat actors.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations relying on FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 for file transfer operations. The buffer overflow could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the FTP service account. This may lead to unauthorized data access, data corruption, or complete system takeover. The impact extends beyond immediate exploitation as the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for further network penetration activities. The critical classification indicates that the vulnerability could enable privilege escalation or persistent access to affected systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where FTP servers often serve as critical infrastructure components.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying vendor patches if available, implementing network segmentation to limit access to FTP services, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 for Proxy Pivoting and potentially T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers may use compromised FTP servers to establish additional attack vectors. Network administrators should consider implementing firewall rules that restrict FTP access to trusted networks only, while also monitoring for unusual FTP command patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 deployments and ensure proper patch management protocols are in place to prevent future similar vulnerabilities from being exploited.