VulnerabilityPublished 4 Jun 2025

CVE-2025-5551: FreeFloat FTP Server · Buffer Overflow

Affects FreeFloat FTP ServerSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.9 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score

6.9Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 51% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Requirements: None
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low
Vulnerable system integrity: Low
Vulnerable system availability: Low
Subsequent system confidentiality: None
Subsequent system integrity: None
Subsequent system availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable system is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed below, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed “remotely exploitable” and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: The attacker must take no measurable action to exploit the vulnerability. The attack requires no target-specific circumvention to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: None: The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files of the vulnerable system to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without interaction from any human user, other than the attacker.
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system availability: Low: Performance is reduced or there are interruptions in resource availability. Even if repeated exploitation of the vulnerability is possible, the attacker does not have the ability to completely deny service to legitimate users. The resources in the Vulnerable System are either partially available all of the time, or fully available only some of the time, but overall there is no direct, serious consequence to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the Subsequent System or all confidentiality impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the Subsequent System or all integrity impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Subsequent System or all availability impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v4.0 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 4 Jun 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
FreeFloat FTP Server	Affected =1.0	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling the FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 if feasible until a vendor patch is released. Organizations should restrict access to the FTP server using network-level controls such as firewalls and VPNs to limit exposure to trusted IP addresses only. Implementing intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or anomaly detection for unusual SYSTEM command usage can help detect exploitation attempts. Regularly monitoring server logs for suspicious activity related to SYSTEM commands is advisable. If continued use of the vulnerable server is necessary, consider deploying application-layer firewalls or FTP proxies that can sanitize or block malicious commands. Organizations should also plan for rapid patch deployment once the vendor releases a fix. Additionally, conducting internal audits to identify all instances of FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 and replacing or upgrading them to more secure alternatives is recommended to reduce attack surface.

Description

A vulnerability was found in FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0. It has been classified as critical. This affects an unknown part of the component SYSTEM Command Handler. The manipulation leads to buffer overflow. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.

Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on FreeFloat FTP Server 1.0 for file transfer operations. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized remote code execution, allowing attackers to gain control over affected servers, exfiltrate sensitive data, disrupt services, or use compromised systems as footholds for further attacks. Given the critical role FTP servers play in many industries for data exchange, including finance, manufacturing, and government sectors, exploitation could result in operational disruptions and data breaches. The medium CVSS score suggests that while the vulnerability is serious, exploitation may not lead to full system compromise in all cases; however, the absence of authentication requirements and user interaction increases the likelihood of attacks. European organizations with internet-facing FreeFloat FTP servers are particularly vulnerable, and the potential impact includes loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical data and services.

Summary

CVE-2025-5551 is a buffer overflow vulnerability identified in FreeFloat FTP Server version 1.0, specifically within the SYSTEM Command Handler component. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send specially crafted SYSTEM commands that overflow a buffer, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without requiring any user interaction or privileges, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS score of 6.9 classifies this as a medium severity issue, reflecting the potential for partial impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability with relatively low attack complexity. Although no public exploits have been observed in the wild yet, the disclosure of the vulnerability and the availability of technical details increase the risk of exploitation. The lack of available patches or mitigations from the vendor at this time further elevates the threat. Buffer overflow vulnerabilities in FTP servers are particularly concerning because FTP servers often operate with elevated privileges and are exposed to the internet, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise systems or pivot within networks.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 5 Jul 2025, 02:11 UTC

Technical details

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