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Findings

CVE-2015-3306

ProFTPD Improper Access Control Vulnerability

Published May 18, 2015 · corrected/updated Oct 9, 2026 · ProFTPD ProFTPD · evidence confidence very high

Advisory at a Glance Title Chinese Government-linked Cyber Threat Actors Combine Automated and Hands-on Hacking Tools to Steal Sensitive Data <div class="TableCellContent SCXW40

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2015-3306 is a critical public vulnerability record for ProFTPD ProFTPD. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether ProFTPD ProFTPD is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: debian/debian linux (7.0); debian/debian linux (8.0); debian/debian linux (9.0); fedoraproject/fedora (20). Published remediation guidance: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: CVSS 10.0, EPSS 99.5%. CISA lists it as known exploited. Weakness classes: CWE-284. Sources contributing to this record: cisa_advisories, cisa_kev, cve_org, epss. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Confirmed in CISA KEV since Oct 8, 2026. Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

  • Patch and remediation

    Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines. CISA due date Oct 11, 2026.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 18, 2015 · Catalog

    Detected

    ProFTPD contains an improper access control vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

  2. Oct 8, 2026 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating

  3. Oct 9, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    ProFTPD contains an improper access control vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

  4. Oct 11, 2026 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating

Affected

  • cpe debian/debian linux7.0
  • cpe debian/debian linux8.0
  • cpe debian/debian linux9.0
  • cpe fedoraproject/fedora20
  • cpe fedoraproject/fedora21
  • cpe fedoraproject/fedora22
  • cpe opensuse/tumbleweedversion unspecified
  • cpe proftpd/proftpd1.3.5
  • cpe suse/linux enterprise server15
  • vendor ProFTPD ProFTPDversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA Cybersecurity AdvisoriesGovernment advisoryCVE-2015-3306

    Advisory at a Glance Title Chinese Government-linked Cyber Threat Actors Combine Automated and Hands-on Hacking Tools to Steal Sensitive Data <div class="TableCellContent SCXW40

    cisa.gov
  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2015-3306

    ProFTPD contains an improper access control vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2015-3306

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2015-3306

    30-day exploitation probability 99.5%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference36803

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference37262

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference49908

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_unix/ftp/proftpd_modcopy_exec

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2015-3306

    The mod_copy module in ProFTPD 1.3.5 allows remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131505/ProFTPd-1.3.5-File-Copy.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131555/ProFTPd-1.3.5-Remote-Command-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131567/ProFTPd-CPFR-CPTO-Proof-Of-Concept.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132218/ProFTPD-1.3.5-Mod_Copy-Command-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com

References