VULNpocalypse

CVE-2015-3306: ProFTPD Improper Access Control Vulnerability

Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.

Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.

What it is

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.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by mitre, published 2015-05-18).

Weakness: CWE-284 Improper Access Control

How it can be exploited

Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: yes. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since
2026-10-08
US federal deadline
2026-10-11
Ransomware use
Not known

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2015-10225, CNNVD-201505-070, CNVD-2015-02769, EDB-36742, EDB-36803, EDB-37262, EDB-49908, EUVD-2015-3352, EUVD-2019-4396, GHSA-4mfj-5wr8-x32q, GHSA-f989-xw5v-4w5p

VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:ALERTASTRA

Exploit Observer links 26 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.

Exploit code and modules (26)

Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (12)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

107 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS
0.995
very likely to be attacked soon
VEDAS
0.989
strong exploit evidence
On CISA KEV
Yes, since 2026-10-08
Detection rule
Nuclei · Suricata
EPSS (chance of attack)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.1Added to CISA KEV 2026-10-08CVE-2015-3306 EPSS over time2025-042026-11-01
VEDAS (exploit evidence)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.9Added to CISA KEV 2026-10-08CVE-2015-3306 VEDAS over time2025-042026-11-01

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish. The vertical line is the day CISA added it to its exploited list.

VEDAS flagged this bug about 61 days before CISA confirmed attacks.

Who is affected

ProductAffectedNot affected
Not statedversion n/aNot stated

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

How to fix it

CISA required action: 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.

Vendor guidance:

How to detect it

Nuclei template (active check)

ProFTPD - Remote Code Execution

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.

Name and description quoted from the template, written by VEDAS.

The template decides using word matchers. Severity in the template: critical. Marked as not yet verified against a live vulnerable target.

Run it against a host you own or are authorised to test:

bash
nuclei -u https://your-host -t CVE-2015-3306.yaml
Show the template (41 lines)
yaml
id: CVE-2015-3306

info:
  name: "ProFTPD - Remote Code Execution"
  author: vedas-arpsyndicate
  severity: critical
  description: |
    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.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2015-3306&match=exact
    - https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=ftp&match=exact
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:2.0/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
    cvss-score: 10
    cve-id: CVE-2015-3306
    cwe-id: CWE-284
  metadata:
    verified: false
  tags: cve2015,cve,network,ftp,rce,proftpd,edb,tcp,vuln
tcp:
  - host:
      - "{{Hostname}}"
    port: 21
    inputs:
      - data: "site cpfr /proc/self/cmdline\r\n"
        read: 1024

      - data: "site cpto /tmp/.{{randstr}}\r\n"
        read: 1024

      - data: "site cpfr /tmp/.{{randstr}}\r\n"
        read: 1024

      - data: "site cpto /var/www/html/{{randstr}}\r\n"
    read-size: 1024
    matchers:
      - type: word
        part: raw
        words:
          - "Copy successful"

CVE-2015-3306.yaml on GitHub

Suricata rules (network detection)

1 rule that alert on traffic matching this exploit: VEDAS CVE-2015-3306 ProFTPD - Remote Code Execution. Add them to your Suricata rule set and reload.

Show the rules
suricata
alert tcp $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HOME_NET any (msg:"VEDAS CVE-2015-3306 ProFTPD - Remote Code Execution"; flow:established,to_server; content:"site cpfr /proc/self/cmdline"; nocase; fast_pattern; classtype:attempted-admin; reference:cve,CVE-2015-3306; reference:url,https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2015-3306&match=exact; reference:url,https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=ftp&match=exact; sid:1011196; rev:1;)

CVE-2015-3306.rules on GitHub

Advisories on this CVE

References

Vendor advisories and patches

Exploits and technical analysis

  • 36803 (exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB)
  • 36742 (exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB)

Government sources

Other references

Other databases

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer, vedas-signatures. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.