Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain low-privilege ColdFusion credentials
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DeliverySend crafted HTTP request with OS command metacharacters
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ExploitTrigger unsanitized input passed to OS command function
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ExecutionBypass ColdFusion security controls
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PersistExecute OS-level write commands outside application boundary
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ImpactAchieve unauthorized write access to system resources
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization OS command sanitization, avoid shell exec
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 1 tactic: Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | The attacker must possess a valid low-privileged ColdFusion application account (PR:L per CVSS vector) and network access to the ColdFusion server. Exploitation does not require user interaction and is confirmed to be network-reachable (AV:N). The vulnerability is described as not requiring any special non-default configuration - the OS command injection pathway exists in standard deployments of ColdFusion 2023 and 2025. The primary limiting factor for exploitation is the authentication requirement: an unauthenticated attacker cannot directly exploit this without first obtaining at least a low-privilege credential. Additionally, organizations that place ColdFusion behind a VPN, restrict access to trusted networks, or enforce IP allowlisting effectively raise the barrier to exploitation, as the attacker must first achieve network adjacency to the server. The scope change (S:C) and high integrity impact apply only if the command injection successfully escapes the application security boundary, which is expected given the CWE-78 classification. |
| Impact | The CVSS 7.7 score is well-supported by the vector components: AV:N (network-reachable without physical access), AC:L (no special race conditions or configuration quirks needed), PR:L (a low-privileged account suffices - any authenticated user), UI:N (fully automated exploitation once credentials are in hand), and S:C with I:H (high integrity impact across the broader system). This combination means an attacker who can obtain even minimal credentials - via phishing, credential stuffing, or default account abuse - can immediately exploit without further human involvement. No EPSS score was provided in the source intelligence; exploitation probability cannot be independently quantified from available data. No CISA KEV listing exists for this CVE at time of analysis, and no public POC has been identified, which lowers immediate mass-exploitation risk. However, the low complexity and no-user-interaction requirement mean that once a working exploit is developed, automated scanning and exploitation is straightforward. This should be treated as a priority patch for organizations running internet-exposed ColdFusion instances or those where low-trust users have application accounts. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker with a low-privileged ColdFusion application account - obtained via phishing, credential reuse, or a default account - submits a crafted HTTP request to a vulnerable ColdFusion endpoint, embedding OS command metacharacters (e.g., semicolons, pipes, backticks) in a parameter that the application passes unsanitized to an OS command execution function. The injection bypasses ColdFusion's internal security checks, causing the underlying OS to execute attacker-controlled commands under the application server's process identity. Because scope is changed, the attacker achieves write access to file system paths or system resources outside the ColdFusion application's intended permission boundary - potentially writing webshells, modifying configuration files, or tampering with data accessible to the server OS account. No public POC has been identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 11, 2026
OS command injection in Adobe ColdFusion 2023 and 2025 allows a low-privileged, network-authenticated attacker to bypass security controls and gain unauthorized write access to resources outside the application's normal permission boundary. The CVSS scope-change metric (S:C) confirms impact extends beyond the vulnerable component itself, meaning successful exploitation can affect the underlying operating system or adjacent system resources. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity and low privilege requirement make this a credible risk for any internet-exposed or internally accessible ColdFusion deployment.
RemediationAI
Apply the update detailed in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB26-90, available at https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb26-90.html. Exact fixed version numbers must be sourced from that advisory, as they are not independently confirmed in the data available for this analysis. As compensating controls while patching is in progress: restrict network-level access to ColdFusion instances using firewall rules or network segmentation so only trusted hosts can reach the application - this raises the effective attack vector from fully network-accessible to a narrower perimeter, at the cost of limiting legitimate remote access. Audit and disable any ColdFusion features or CFML tags (e.g., cfexecute, runtime expression evaluation) that permit user-controlled input to reach OS command execution paths, accepting that this may break application functionality that depends on those features. Enforce strict input validation and allowlisting at the web application firewall layer for ColdFusion endpoints that accept user-supplied parameters. Ensure ColdFusion application server processes run under a least-privileged OS account to limit the blast radius of any command injected - this does not eliminate the vulnerability but constrains what an attacker can write to.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 2 packages in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command) identifies the root cause as unsanitized user-controlled input being passed to an OS-level shell or command execution function. In ColdFusion's context, CFML tags and built-in functions such as cfexecute or underlying Java runtime calls can be vectors if input reaches them without adequate filtering. The CVSS scope change (S:C) is technically significant: it indicates the command injection escapes ColdFusion's application security boundary and affects resources controlled by the host OS or adjacent components - consistent with an attacker running OS commands under the application server's process identity. Affected products are precisely scoped by CPE to cpe:2.3:a:adobe:coldfusion_2025:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* and cpe:2.3:a:adobe:coldfusion_2023:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, covering all sub-versions of both the 2023 and 2025 release lines.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Low-privileged network-accessible exploitation with no user interaction; scope change and high integrity impact reflect OS command injection writing beyond the application boundary.
Primary rating from Vendor (adobe).
CVSS VectorVendor: adobe
DescriptionCVE.org
ColdFusion is affected by an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability that could result in a Security feature bypass. A low-privileged attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized write access. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Scope is changed.
Executive ViewAI
Adobe ColdFusion 2023 and 2025 contain an OS command injection vulnerability (CVE-2026-48385, CVSS 7.7) allowing authenticated network users with low privileges to bypass application controls and write to the underlying operating system and adjacent resources. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, though low attack complexity makes this a credible risk. Without vendor patch availability, any organization running exposed or internally accessible ColdFusion deployments requires immediate containment.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Deploy WAF with command injection protections; restrict ColdFusion network access via firewall rules to authorized endpoints only; run ColdFusion processes with least-privilege OS user accounts; enable comprehensive audit logging of file and system operations; segment ColdFusion instances on isolated network subnets with restricted outbound egress controls; disable unnecessary ColdFusion extensions to reduce attack surface.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
OS command injection occurs when an application passes unsanitized user input directly into system shell commands.
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EUVD-2026-56549
GHSA-cvv7-94jv-5mcv
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB