CVE-2010-20103: proftpd project proftpd (professional ftp daemon) Hidden Functionality

CVSS: 9.8v3.1CriticalAnalyzed

Published 20-08-2025Last modified 15-07-2026

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2010-20103 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) Hidden Functionality vulnerability in proftpd project proftpd (professional ftp daemon). EPSS estimates a 13.66% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 96.4% of scored vulnerabilities. 4 public exploits are recorded.

Overall risk

70/100

0100

High · default modelHow is this calculated?

CVSS score

9.8/10

010

Critical · v3.1 (NVD)

EPSS score

13.66%

0%100%

Medium · +8.57 pp in 30 days

KEVNot listedIn no KEV catalog

RansomwareNone recordedNo known use recorded

Public exploits4exploit-database, reference, metasploit

Timeline

20-08-2025
PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
15-07-2026
Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

A malicious backdoor was embedded in the official ProFTPD 1.3.3c source tarball distributed between November 28 and December 2, 2010. The backdoor implements a hidden FTP command trigger that, when invoked, causes the server to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to run any OS command on the FTP server host.

CVSS metrics

3 scores · 2 sources · 2 versions

v4.09.3v3.19.8

EPSS trend

Probability

13.66%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

96%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

+8.57 pp

From 5.09% on 18-09-2026

18-09-202618-10-2026

EPSS score

13.66%

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs

Not in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.

Public exploits

4 found

exploit-databaseremotelinuxVerified
ProFTPd 1.3.3c - Compromised Source Backdoor Remote Code Execution
Maturity: weaponized
exploit-databaseremotelinuxVerified
ProFTPd-1.3.3c - Backdoor Command Execution (Metasploit)
Maturity: weaponized
referenceUnverified
Exploit Reference (raw.githubusercontent.com)
Maturity: unknown