PatchTheCVECVE-2007-5962: Memory leak in a certain Red Hat patch, applied to vsftpd 2.0.5 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 and Fedor
CVE-2007-5962 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.1) affecting enterprise linux, fedora, appliances. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
Memory leak in a certain Red Hat patch, applied to vsftpd 2.0.5 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 and Fedora 6 through 8, and on Foresight Linux and rPath appliances, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large number of CWD commands, as demonstrated by an attack on a daemon with the deny_file configuration option.
Why this priority
- High severity
- EPSS top 4%: very likely to be exploited
- Public exploit reference
- On your watchlist
No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 7.1 (High) |
| EPSS exploit chance | 12.1% (top 4%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Weakness | CWE-399 |
| Published | 2008-05-22 |
| Last modified | 2026-06-16 |
Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
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: vsftpd 2.0.5 - 'CWD' (Authenticated) Remote Memory Consumption
- Exploit-DB: vsftpd 2.0.5 - 'deny_file' Option Remote Denial of Service (1)
- Exploit-DB: vsftpd 2.0.5 - 'deny_file' Option Remote Denial of Service (2)
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-2007-5962?
enterprise linux: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; fedora: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; appliances: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.
Is CVE-2007-5962 being exploited?
CVE-2007-5962 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-2007-5962 affect?
CVE-2007-5962 affects enterprise linux, fedora, appliances. Severity is high (CVSS 7.1). Memory leak in a certain Red Hat patch, applied to vsftpd 2.0.5 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 and Fedora 6 through 8, and on Foresight Linux and rPath appliances, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumpti
How urgent is CVE-2007-5962?
Priority 59/100. High severity; EPSS top 4%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference; On your watchlist
Software pages
Red Hat Enterprise Linux vulnerabilities · vsftpd vulnerabilities
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