Severity
High
Analysis Summary
Adobe has released an urgent Priority 1 security update for Adobe ColdFusion 2025 and Adobe ColdFusion 2023 to address multiple critical vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to achieve remote code execution (RCE), privilege escalation, arbitrary file reads, server-side request forgery (SSRF), cross-site scripting (XSS), and security feature bypasses. The vulnerabilities affect ColdFusion 2025 Update 9 and earlier and ColdFusion 2023 Update 20 and earlier on all supported platforms. To remediate these issues, Adobe has released ColdFusion 2025 Update 10 and ColdFusion 2023 Update 21, strongly recommending that organizations upgrade immediately, particularly those operating internet-facing ColdFusion servers.
The most severe vulnerabilities are several CVSS high flaws that enable unauthenticated remote arbitrary code execution. These include CVE-2026-48276 and CVE-2026-48283, which stem from unrestricted file upload vulnerabilities (CWE-434), allowing attackers to upload and execute malicious files. Additional RCE vulnerabilities include CVE-2026-48277, CVE-2026-48281, and CVE-2026-48316, caused by improper input validation (CWE-20), as well as CVE-2026-48282, a path traversal flaw (CWE-22). Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code and potentially gain complete control of affected ColdFusion servers without authentication.
Beyond remote code execution, the update also addresses several high-impact vulnerabilities that could be chained together to facilitate deeper system compromise. CVE-2026-48313 (CVSS high) is a critical path traversal vulnerability that enables arbitrary file system reads, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, credentials, and application data. CVE-2026-48315 (CVSS high) and CVE-2026-48314 (CVSS medium) allow privilege escalation through improper input validation and path traversal, respectively. Adobe also resolved CVE-2026-48307 (CVSS high), a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability, and CVE-2026-48285 (CVSS high), a server-side request forgery (SSRF) flaw that could enable attackers to bypass security controls and access internal network resources.
Although Adobe has stated that it is not currently aware of any in-the-wild exploitation targeting these vulnerabilities, the combination of unauthenticated attack vectors, multiple CVSS high vulnerabilities, and ColdFusion's long history of being targeted by threat actors makes immediate patching essential. In addition to upgrading to the latest ColdFusion versions, Adobe recommends updating to the latest supported JDK/JRE, using the latest MySQL Java Connector, configuring serial filters to reduce insecure deserialization risks, and implementing the security best practices outlined in the official ColdFusion Security Configuration Guide and Lockdown Guide. Several vulnerabilities were responsibly disclosed through Adobe's HackerOne bug bounty program by security researchers.
Impact
- Code Execution
- Privilege Escalation
- Gain Access
Indicators of Compromise
CVE
- CVE-2026-48276
- CVE-2026-48283
- CVE-2026-48277
- CVE-2026-48281
- CVE-2026-48316
- CVE-2026-48282
- CVE-2026-48313
- CVE-2026-48315
- CVE-2026-48314
- CVE-2026-48307
- CVE-2026-48285
Remediation
- Upgrade immediately to Adobe ColdFusion 2025 Update 10 or Adobe ColdFusion 2023 Update 21, as these releases address all disclosed vulnerabilities.
- Prioritize patching internet-facing ColdFusion servers, as they are at the highest risk of exploitation due to the presence of multiple unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerabilities.
- Update the Java Runtime Environment (JDK/JRE) to the latest supported version recommended by Adobe to ensure compatibility and improved security.
- Install the latest MySQL Java Connector if your ColdFusion deployment uses MySQL, as recommended by Adobe.
- Configure Java serial filters to mitigate the risk of insecure deserialization attacks.
- Implement the recommendations in Adobe's ColdFusion Security Configuration Guide and Lockdown Guide to harden ColdFusion servers against attacks.
- Restrict access to the ColdFusion Administrator by limiting it to trusted IP addresses and protecting it with strong authentication.
- Monitor server logs and network traffic for indicators of compromise, including suspicious file uploads, path traversal attempts, unauthorized administrative actions, and unexpected outbound connections.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious requests targeting file upload, path traversal, SSRF, XSS, and remote code execution attempts.
- Apply the principle of least privilege by running ColdFusion services with non-administrative accounts and limiting file system permissions to reduce the impact of a successful compromise.