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CVE-2023-40044 is a critical insecure .NET deserialization vulnerability in the Ad Hoc Transfer module of Progress WS_FTP Server. It affects WS_FTP Server versions prior to 8.7.4 and 8.8.2. The flaw allows a pre-authenticated or unauthenticated remote attacker to supply crafted serialized data to vulnerable application functionality in the Ad Hoc Transfer component, resulting in remote command execution on the underlying Windows operating system hosting WS_FTP Server. The issue is associated with the Ad Hoc Transfer web application surface and has been described as exploitable without user interaction.
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1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.
This repository contains a single Metasploit module (Ruby file) that exploits CVE-2023-40044, a critical unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Progress Software WS_FTP Server's Ad Hoc Transfer (AHT) module. The exploit leverages an unsafe .NET deserialization flaw to execute arbitrary commands as NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE on the target Windows server. The module is highly weaponized, allowing the attacker to specify a payload (such as a reverse shell or arbitrary command) via Metasploit's payload system. The exploit targets WS_FTP Server versions prior to 2020.0.4 (8.7.4) and 2022.0.2 (8.8.2). The module includes a check method to verify the presence and vulnerability of the target by inspecting specific HTTP endpoints (e.g., /AHT/AHT_UI/public/index.html and /AHT/AHT_UI/public/js/app.min.js). The main attack vector is network-based, exploiting the HTTP(S) interface of the WS_FTP server. The repository is structured as a typical Metasploit module, with all logic contained in a single Ruby file under the appropriate modules/exploits/windows/http/ directory.
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11 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
A remote code execution vulnerability in WS_FTP software that can be exploited via requests to the /AHT/AhtApiService.asmx/AuthUser endpoint, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution on the server.
An insecure deserialization vulnerability in WS_FTP Server identified as CVE-2023-40044. This flaw could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or commands on the affected server by sending specially crafted serialized objects.
A severe .NET deserialization vulnerability in Progress Software's WS_FTP Server Ad Hoc Transfer module, allowing pre-authenticated remote command execution.
A specific vulnerability referenced in a Splunk attack data simulation dataset related to WS_FTP. The content only indicates that attack data was manually generated for it; no technical details about the flaw itself are provided.
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Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.