CVE-2023-42657Network attack vector

Authenticated filesystem modification via path traversal

Published Sep 27, 2023 · Updated Sep 24, 2024

Path traversal in WS_FTP Server 8.7.0 through 8.7.3 and 8.8.0 through 8.8.1 allows remote authenticated users to modify files. The File System accepts traversal paths in delete, rename, rmdir, and mkdir operations without confining the resolved target to the authorized folder. A valid low-privilege account is required, and successful traversal permits the same operations against files and folders on the underlying Windows host.

CVSS severity9.9
Critical
EPSS probability17.03%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Path traversal in WS_FTP Server 8.7.0 through 8.7.3 and 8.8.0 through 8.8.1 allows remote authenticated users to modify files. The File System accepts traversal paths in delete, rename, rmdir, and mkdir operations without confining the resolved target to the authorized folder. A valid low-privilege account is required, and successful traversal permits the same operations against files and folders on the underlying Windows host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42657
Published
Sep 27, 2023
Updated
Sep 24, 2024
Vendor
Progress Software Corporation
Product
WS_FTP Server
Classifications
CWE-22, CAPEC-126, T1083, T1070.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 24, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=8.7.0 <8.7.4
  2. Affected versionversion=8.8.0 <8.8.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Progress Software Corporation · WS_FTP Serverversion=8.7.0 <8.7.4; version=8.8.0 <8.8.2

Published CVSS scores

9.9Progress Software CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.6NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CAPEC-126Path Traversal
T1083File and Directory Discovery
T1070.004File Deletion

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo