However, if threat actors are able to exploit unpatched Serv-U instances, they can execute arbitrary commands, deploy malware, create new privileged accounts, disable security tooling, and pivot laterally into the broader environment, noted SOCRadar’s Seker.
Serv-U is particularly at risk because it is, by design, an externally facing file transfer solution. “Many organizations expose it to the internet for partners, vendors, and customers,” said Seker. That “dramatically increases” the attack surface.
Attackers could potentially exfiltrate sensitive files, manipulate transferred data, implant backdoors, and use the server as a “staging point for ransomware.” The blast radius further expands in environments where Serv-U is integrated with Active Directory or internal storage systems, Seker pointed out.
