CVE-2005-2898: NOTE: this issue has been disputed by the vendor

Routine

MEDIUM 4.6DOWNGRADE

CVE-2005-2898 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 4.6) affecting filezilla. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

NOTE: this issue has been disputed by the vendor. FileZilla 2.2.14b and 2.2.15, and possibly earlier versions, when "Use secure mode" is disabled, uses a weak encryption scheme to store the user's password in the configuration settings file, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information. NOTE: the vendor has disputed the issue, stating that "the problem is not a vulnerability at all, but in fact a fundamental issue of every single pr

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	4.6 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	0.5% (top 57%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2005-09-14
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: filezilla

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2005-09-14 20:03 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:15 UTCUpdated Record last modified

filezilla filezilla DOWNGRADE

Affected: 2.2.14b · 2.2.15

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 2.2.14b

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy filezilla || rpm -q filezilla || filezilla --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 2.2.14b (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison filezilla sudo apt install filezilla=<VERSION_BEFORE_2.2.14b> sudo apt-mark hold filezilla

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list filezilla sudo dnf downgrade filezilla-<VERSION_BEFORE_2.2.14b> sudo dnf versionlock add filezilla

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: FileZilla 2.2.15 - FTP Client Hard-Coded Cipher Key

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2005-2898?

filezilla: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2005-2898 being exploited?

CVE-2005-2898 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2005-2898 affect?

CVE-2005-2898 affects filezilla. Severity is medium (CVSS 4.6). NOTE: this issue has been disputed by the vendor. FileZilla 2.2.14b and 2.2.15, and possibly earlier versions, when "Use secure mode" is disabled, uses a weak encryption scheme to store the user's password in the configuration settings fil

How urgent is CVE-2005-2898?

Priority 32/100. Public exploit reference

Software pages

FileZilla vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2007-2318 HIGH 9.3 UPGRADE Multiple format string vulnerabilities in FileZilla before 2.2.32 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary
CVE-2007-0317 HIGH 7.5 UPGRADE Format string vulnerability in the LogMessage function in FileZilla before 3.0.0-beta5 allows remote attackers
CVE-2007-0315 HIGH 9.3 UPGRADE Multiple buffer overflows in FileZilla before 2.2.30a allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or caus
CVE-2006-6564 MEDIUM 4.0 UPGRADE FileZilla Server before 0.9.22 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed ar
CVE-2006-2403 HIGH 7.5 DOWNGRADE Buffer overflow in FileZilla before 2.2.23 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via unknown a

References

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