CVE-2012-5106
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedStack-based buffer overflow in FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a long string in a PUT command.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceFreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in its handling of the PUT command. When an authenticated user issues a PUT command with an excessively long string, the server fails to properly bounds-check the input before copying it to a stack-allocated buffer, allowing an attacker to overwrite return addresses and execute arbitrary code.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 1.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify FreeFloat FTP Server installationCheck for the presence of FreeFloat FTP Server on the system by looking for the executable file (typically 'FreeFloatFTP.exe' in Program Files or the installation directory) or check installed programs via Windows Control Panel.Affected if FreeFloat FTP Server version 1.0 is installed on the system.
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Determine installed version of FreeFloat FTP ServerRight-click on the FreeFloat FTP Server executable, select Properties, and review the Version tab. Alternatively, right-click the executable, select Properties, then go to the Details section to view the Product Version.Affected if The version is reported as exactly 1.0.
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Verify FTP service is runningOpen Services.msc and look for the FreeFloat FTP Server service, or check running processes in Task Manager for the FreeFloatFTP.exe process.Affected if The FreeFloat FTP Server service or process is running and accepting connections.
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Confirm authenticated access is possibleAttempt to log in to the FTP server using valid credentials or check the server configuration for enabled user accounts. The vulnerability requires an authenticated session.Affected if Authentication is enabled and functional, allowing users to log in to the FTP server.
A user is affected if FreeFloat FTP Server version 1.0 is installed, the FTP service is running, and user authentication is enabled, since the buffer overflow occurs when an authenticated user issues a PUT command with an overly long string.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a patched version of FreeFloat FTP Server that implements proper input validation and bounds checking in the PUT command handler, or replace the software with a maintained FTP server solution.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,408.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-5106 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-5106 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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