# CVE-2001-0456: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Proftpd runs with root privileges when anonymous access is enabled due to a Debian installation script error, allowing potential privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Sep 2001
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vrj6-pf44-5f3r

## What is CVE-2001-0456?

CVE-2001-0456 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 18 Sep 2001. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

postinst installation script for Proftpd in Debian 2.2 does not properly change the "run as uid/gid root" configuration when the user enables anonymous access, which causes the server to run at a higher privilege than intended.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2001-0456?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2001-0456?

No fix has been published for CVE-2001-0456 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2001-0456 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0456 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2001-0456 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2001-0456 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 18 Sep 2001. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0456 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0456/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0456/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-0456
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2001-0456
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2001-0456

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0456/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.