CVE-2025-43561
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an incorrect authorization vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion that allows high-privileged attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Affected systems include ColdFusion versions 2025.1, 2023.13, 2021.19 and earlier. Exploitation requires no user interaction and can lead to complete system compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe ColdFusion
📦 What is this software?
Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →Coldfusion by Adobe
Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web application development platform and server providing a Java-based runtime environment for building dynamic websites, web applications, REST APIs, and enterprise integrations. Deployed across government agencies, financial services, healthcare organizations...
Learn more about Coldfusion →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system takeover with administrative privileges, data exfiltration, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Unauthorized code execution leading to data theft, installation of backdoors, or disruption of ColdFusion services.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to network segmentation, strict access controls, and monitoring preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires high-privileged attacker access but no user interaction. The vulnerability is in authorization logic, making exploitation straightforward once initial access is obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ColdFusion 2025.2, 2023.14, 2021.20 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb25-52.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the appropriate update from Adobe's website. 2. Backup your ColdFusion installation. 3. Apply the update following Adobe's installation guide. 4. Restart ColdFusion services. 5. Verify the update was successful.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Access Restriction
allRestrict network access to ColdFusion administration interfaces to trusted IP addresses only.
Configure firewall rules to limit access to ColdFusion ports (typically 8500, 80, 443) from authorized networks only.
Privilege Reduction
allRun ColdFusion services with minimal necessary privileges to limit impact of successful exploitation.
Configure ColdFusion to run under a dedicated service account with limited permissions.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate ColdFusion servers in a segmented network zone with strict inbound/outbound controls.
- Implement application-level monitoring and alerting for suspicious ColdFusion administrative activities.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ColdFusion version via ColdFusion Administrator interface or cfusion/lib/version.txt file.Check Version:
On Windows: type "C:\ColdFusion\cfusion\lib\version.txt" || On Linux: cat /opt/coldfusion/cfusion/lib/version.txtVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version number is 2025.2, 2023.14, 2021.20 or later and check that the patch installation was successful.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthorized access attempts to ColdFusion administrative endpoints
- Unusual process execution from ColdFusion service account
- Failed authentication events followed by successful administrative actions
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from ColdFusion servers
- Traffic to ColdFusion administrative interfaces from unauthorized sources
SIEM Query:
source="coldfusion" AND (event_type="authentication_failure" OR event_type="admin_access") AND result="success"