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Ws Ftp ServerApplication · Progress

CVE-2023-42659

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-11-07
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 8.7.6 / 8.8.4 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 · unedited
In WS_FTP Server versions prior to 8.7.6 and 8.8.4, an unrestricted file upload flaw has been identified. An authenticated Ad Hoc Transfer user has the ability to craft an API call which allows them to upload a file to a specified location on the underlying operating system hosting the WS_FTP Server application.

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 confidence

WS_FTP Server versions prior to 8.7.6 and 8.8.4 contain an unrestricted file upload vulnerability. An authenticated Ad Hoc Transfer user can craft a malicious API call to upload files to arbitrary locations on the host operating system, potentially enabling code execution or system compromise.

MitigationUpgrade WS_FTP Server to version 8.7.6, 8.8.4, or later to remediate this vulnerability. Review user permissions for Ad Hoc Transfer functionality in the interim.

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
Ws Ftp ServerApplication
Affected:< 8.7.6>= 8.8.0, < 8.8.4

CVSS 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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Determine installed WS_FTP Server version
    Open the WS_FTP Server Manager or check the application About/Help section. On Windows, you may also check the registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Progress\WS_FTP Server or inspect the installation directory for version information.
    Affected if The installed version is lower than 8.7.6, OR falls between 8.8.0 and 8.8.3 (inclusive).
  2. Verify Ad Hoc Transfer feature status
    Log into the WS_FTP Server Administrator console and navigate to the Ad Hoc Transfer settings or Modules section. Check whether the Ad Hoc Transfer module is enabled.
    Affected if Ad Hoc Transfer is enabled and the version check shows a vulnerable version.
  3. Confirm presence of Ad Hoc Transfer users
    In the WS_FTP Server Administrator console, review the user list and identify any users or groups granted Ad Hoc Transfer permissions. Check user role assignments or permissions settings.
    Affected if Any user account has Ad Hoc Transfer privileges assigned and the version check shows a vulnerable version.
  4. Inspect Ad Hoc Transfer upload configuration
    Within the Ad Hoc Transfer settings, review the allowed upload paths and directory permissions. Determine if the configuration permits uploads outside the intended user directory.
    Affected if The upload destination settings allow writing to arbitrary filesystem locations (not restricted to a sandboxed directory) and the version check shows a vulnerable version.

You are affected if WS_FTP Server version is below 8.7.6 or between 8.8.0 and 8.8.3, AND the Ad Hoc Transfer feature is enabled with at least one user having Ad Hoc Transfer permissions.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 8.7.6 / 8.8.4 or later
Fixed in 8.7.68.8.4
Interim mitigation

Upgrade WS_FTP Server to version 8.7.6, 8.8.4, or later to remediate this vulnerability. Review user permissions for Ad Hoc Transfer functionality in the interim.

Recommended fix High confidence

8.7.6 or 8.8.4 (or later, depending on your release branch)

  1. Identify the current installed version of WS_FTP Server
  2. Determine which release branch is in use (8.7.x or 8.8.x)
  3. For 8.7.x branch: upgrade to version 8.7.6 or later
  4. For 8.8.x branch: upgrade to version 8.8.4 or later
  5. Download the appropriate updated version from the Progress Customer Portal or official download channels
  6. Follow standard WS_FTP Server upgrade procedures (backup configuration, stop services, install upgrade, verify functionality)
  7. After upgrade, verify the Ad Hoc Transfer functionality works correctly with updated security controls

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Ws Ftp Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,900
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-42659 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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