# CVE-2023-0669: GoAnywhere MFT - RCE

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2023-0669 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2023-0669

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Background Noise. Continuous low-level scanning or exploitation attempts are observed, mostly opportunistic and automated.
- **CVSS score:** 7.2
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Fortra GoAnywhere MFT
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)
- **Tags:** file_sharing

## Description

Fortra (formerly, HelpSystems) GoAnywhere MFT suffers from a pre-authentication command injection vulnerability in the License Response Servlet due to deserializing an arbitrary attacker-controlled object. This issue was patched in version 7.1.2.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2023-0669](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0669) is a pre-authentication command injection vulnerability in Fortra GoAnywhere MFT, stemming from unsafe deserialization in the License Response Servlet. This flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system before authentication, potentially leading to full system compromise.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 25th of September 2025.

CrowdSec network data shows that most actors exploiting CVE-2023-0669 rely on broad, untargeted scans with minimal filtering. The activity is largely automated and opportunistic in nature.
Data from the CrowdSec community also indicates a gradual decrease in attacks targeting CVE-2023-0669. While still present in the wild, exploitation levels have dropped noticeably week-over-week. This may signal that the vulnerability is becoming less relevant or that defenses are improving fast enough for attackers to lose interest.

Attackers exploit the `/goanywhere/lic/accept` endpoint by sending specially crafted POST requests to trigger remote code execution via unsafe deserialization in Fortra GoAnywhere MFT.

## Timeline

- 2023-02-06: CVE Published. CVE-2023-0669 is published to NVD.
- 2023-02-10: CISA KEV. CVE-2023-0669 is added to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog by CISA.
- 2023-03-03: CISA Remediation Deadline. Expiration of the CISA remediation deadline as described in [BOD 22-01](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-22-01-reducing-significant-risk-known-exploited-vulnerabilities).
- 2025-09-25: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2023-0669 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2025-09-25: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2023-0669 for the first time.

## References

- https://infosec.exchange/@briankrebs/109795710941843934
- https://duo.com/decipher/fortra-patches-actively-exploited-zero-day-in-goanywhere-mft
- https://frycos.github.io/vulns4free/2023/02/06/goanywhere-forgotten.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/171789/Goanywhere-Encryption-Helper-7.1.1-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/pull/17607
- https://my.goanywhere.com/webclient/ViewSecurityAdvisories.xhtml#zerodayfeb1
- https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/2023/02/03/exploitation-of-goanywhere-mft-zero-day-vulnerability/
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-0669.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2023-0669) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2023-0669. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.