Loading vulnerability…
CVE-2023-40044 is an insecure .NET deserialization vulnerability in the Ad Hoc Transfer (AHT) component of Progress WS_FTP Server versions before 8.7.4 and 8.8.2 in their respective release branches. The MyFileUpload.UploadModule IIS HTTP module processes crafted multipart form fields through FormStream.ProcessField and CheckForActionFields, passing attacker-controlled Base64 data to UploadManager.Instance.DeserializeProcessor. This method decodes the input and deserializes it using .NET BinaryFormatter, enabling arbitrary command execution in the WS_FTP application context without authentication.
Mallory correlates every CVE against your assets, your vendors, and active adversary campaigns. Know which vulnerabilities matter for you, not just which ones are loud.
What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.
What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.
If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.
Patch, then assume compromise.
1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.
This repository contains a single Metasploit module (Ruby file) that exploits CVE-2023-40044, a critical unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Progress Software WS_FTP Server's Ad Hoc Transfer (AHT) module. The exploit leverages an unsafe .NET deserialization flaw to execute arbitrary commands as NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE on the target Windows server. The module is highly weaponized, allowing the attacker to specify a payload (such as a reverse shell or arbitrary command) via Metasploit's payload system. The exploit targets WS_FTP Server versions prior to 2020.0.4 (8.7.4) and 2022.0.2 (8.8.2). The module includes a check method to verify the presence and vulnerability of the target by inspecting specific HTTP endpoints (e.g., /AHT/AHT_UI/public/index.html and /AHT/AHT_UI/public/js/app.min.js). The main attack vector is network-based, exploiting the HTTP(S) interface of the WS_FTP server. The repository is structured as a typical Metasploit module, with all logic contained in a single Ruby file under the appropriate modules/exploits/windows/http/ directory.
Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.
Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.
16 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
Unknown
An unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Progress WS_FTP Server's Ad Hoc Transfer application, caused by deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker able to access the WS_FTP web server and Ad Hoc Transfer application can execute arbitrary commands on the server.
An unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Progress WS_FTP Server's Ad Hoc Transfer component. Attacker-controlled multipart upload parameters reach unsafe .NET BinaryFormatter deserialization in MyFileUpload.UploadModule, enabling arbitrary command execution.
A remote code execution vulnerability in WS_FTP software that can be exploited via requests to the /AHT/AhtApiService.asmx/AuthUser endpoint, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution on the server.
Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.
Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.