CVE-2023-40049
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 · uneditedIn WS_FTP Server version prior to 8.8.2, an unauthenticated user could enumerate files under the 'WebServiceHost' directory listing.
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 confidenceWS_FTP Server prior to version 8.8.2 allows unauthenticated users to access directory listings of the 'WebServiceHost' directory, enabling file enumeration and disclosure of potentially sensitive file names and structures.
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< 8.8.2CVSS 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
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
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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Determine installed WS_FTP Server versionLocate the WS_FTP Server installation and check the product version (typically available in the program properties, about screen, or installed programs list). Compare this version number against the affected range of versions prior to 8.8.2.Affected if The installed version is WS_FTP Server version 8.8.1 or earlier (any version below 8.8.2).
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Verify WebServiceHost endpoint exposureAttempt to access the WebServiceHost directory via HTTP/HTTPS on the WS_FTP Server host (for example, navigating to http(s)://<server>/WebServiceHost/ or similar endpoint paths used by the web service).Affected if The WebServiceHost directory is accessible and returns a directory listing without requiring login credentials.
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Confirm unauthenticated file enumerationIf the WebServiceHost endpoint is accessible, observe whether file names and directory structures within this path are displayed without authentication prompts.Affected if Directory listing or file names within the WebServiceHost path are visible to unauthenticated users.
A user is affected if they are running WS_FTP Server version 8.8.1 or earlier AND the WebServiceHost directory endpoint is accessible without authentication, allowing unauthenticated file enumeration.
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.
dbcve · scoped8.8.2
Upgrade WS_FTP Server to version 8.8.2 or later to obtain the patch, or if immediate patching is not feasible, disable directory listing and enforce authentication on the WebServiceHost endpoints.
8.8.2
- Download WS_FTP Server version 8.8.2 from the official Progress website (www.progress.com)
- Create a complete backup of the current WS_FTP Server configuration and data
- Stop the WS_FTP Server service before upgrading
- Install or run the upgrade installer for version 8.8.2
- Follow the installation wizard prompts to complete the upgrade
- Restart the WS_FTP Server service
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the server version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-40049 — 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-2023-40049 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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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data