CVE-2025-4788 is a buffer overflow vulnerability identified in FreeFloat FTP Server version 1.0, specifically within the DELETE command handler component. This vulnerability allows an attacker to remotely trigger a buffer overflow condition by sending a specially crafted DELETE command to the FTP server. The buffer overflow occurs due to improper handling or validation of input data length in the DELETE command processing logic. Exploiting this flaw could lead to memory corruption, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution, denial of service (DoS), or system crashes. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without requiring authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9, indicating a medium severity level, with attack vector network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated as low individually but collectively can be significant depending on the exploit's success. No public exploits are currently known to be actively used in the wild, and no patches or mitigations have been officially released by the vendor at the time of publication. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on May 16, 2025, and is tracked under CVE-2025-4788.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability depends largely on the presence and usage of FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 within their infrastructure. If deployed, this vulnerability could allow attackers to remotely compromise FTP servers, leading to unauthorized access, data corruption, or service disruption. FTP servers often handle sensitive file transfers, so exploitation could result in data leakage or manipulation, impacting confidentiality and integrity. Additionally, successful exploitation could disrupt business operations due to service outages, affecting availability. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the attack, organizations with exposed FTP servers are at heightened risk. This is particularly critical for sectors relying on FTP for file exchange, such as manufacturing, logistics, and government agencies. The lack of available patches increases the urgency for mitigation. The medium CVSS score suggests a moderate but non-negligible risk, warranting proactive defense measures to prevent exploitation.

1. Immediate mitigation should involve restricting external access to FreeFloat FTP Server instances, ideally limiting connections to trusted internal networks or VPNs to reduce exposure. 2. Implement network-level controls such as firewall rules and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to detect and block anomalous DELETE command traffic targeting FTP servers. 3. Monitor FTP server logs for unusual DELETE command activity or malformed requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. If possible, disable or restrict the DELETE command functionality temporarily until a vendor patch is available. 5. Employ application-layer gateways or FTP proxies that can sanitize or validate FTP commands before they reach the server. 6. Conduct thorough asset inventories to identify all instances of FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 and prioritize their remediation. 7. Engage with the vendor or community for updates on patches or official fixes and apply them promptly once released. 8. Consider migrating to alternative, actively maintained FTP server software with robust security controls if long-term support for FreeFloat FTP Server is uncertain.