CVE-2019-12181

HIGH

Serv-U FTP Server prepareinstallation Privilege Escalation

Title source: metasploit
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 6 public exploits for CVE-2019-12181. PoCs published by Metasploit, Guy Levin, bcoles, including Metasploit module exploits/linux/local/servu_ftp_server_prepareinstallation_priv_esc.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This Metasploit module exploits a privilege escalation vulnerability in Serv-U FTP Server by leveraging improper validation of ARGV[0] in a setuid root binary, allowing arbitrary command execution as root.

Description

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.

Exploits (6)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Metasploit · rubylocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/47072

This Metasploit module exploits a privilege escalation vulnerability in Serv-U FTP Server by leveraging improper validation of ARGV[0] in a setuid root binary, allowing arbitrary command execution as root.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U FTP Server < 15.1.7
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Serv-U FTP Server executable path · Writable directory for payload · bash shell availability
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Guy Levin · clocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/47009

This exploit leverages a command injection vulnerability in Serv-U 15.1.6 by passing malicious arguments to the Serv-U binary, resulting in arbitrary command execution and privilege escalation. The PoC uses execv to spawn a root shell via injected commands.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U 15.1.6
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Serv-U 15.1.6 installed · Local access to the system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC
by bcoles · bashlocalmultiple
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/47173

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Serv-U FTP Server prior to 15.1.7 by manipulating the binary's execution to copy a root-owned shell to /tmp/sh with SUID permissions. It then launches this shell to gain root privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U FTP Server < 15.1.7
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Serv-U FTP Server binary must be installed at /usr/local/Serv-U/Serv-U · Binary must be setuid root
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 8 stars
by mavlevin · poc
https://github.com/mavlevin/CVE-2019-12181

This repository contains a functional privilege escalation exploit for CVE-2019-12181 in Serv-U FTP 15.1.6. The exploit leverages command injection via the `-prepareinstallation` argument to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U FTP 15.1.6
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Serv-U FTP 15.1.6 installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
inthewild WORKING POC
poc
https://github.com/guywhataguy/cve-2019-12181

This repository contains a functional local privilege escalation (LPE) exploit for CVE-2019-12181 in Serv-U FTP 15.1.6. The exploit leverages improper argument handling in the Serv-U binary to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U FTP 15.1.6
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Serv-U FTP 15.1.6 installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 23, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by Guy Levin, bcoles · rubypoc
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/local/servu_ftp_server_prepareinstallation_priv_esc.rb

This Metasploit module exploits a privilege escalation vulnerability in Serv-U FTP Server by leveraging improper validation of the `ARGV[0]` parameter in the `-prepareinstallation` flag, allowing command execution with root privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Serv-U FTP Server versions prior to 15.1.7
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a system with Serv-U FTP Server installed · Serv-U executable must be setuid root · Write permissions in a directory (default: /tmp)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 8.8
EPSS 0.5168
EPSS Percentile 98.0%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-78
Status published
Products (2)
solarwinds/serv-u_ftp_server < 15.1.7
solarwinds/serv-u_mft_server < 15.1.7
Published Jun 17, 2019
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026