CVE-2004-2505 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Macromedia ColdFusion MX before 6.1 does not restrict the size of error messages, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and crash) by sending repeated GET or POST requests that trigger error messages that use long strings of data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2505 affects Macromedia ColdFusion MX versions prior to 6.1, representing a classic denial of service flaw that exploits the application server's inadequate handling of error message sizes. This vulnerability resides in the core error processing mechanism of the ColdFusion application server, where the system fails to implement proper bounds checking on error message content. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate the server's memory management through crafted HTTP requests that intentionally trigger error conditions containing excessively long string data. This particular weakness demonstrates a fundamental lack of input validation and resource management controls within the ColdFusion runtime environment, creating a pathway for attackers to consume excessive system resources and potentially cause complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of size limitations on error message generation within the ColdFusion MX framework. When attackers send repeated GET or POST requests containing malformed data or requests that intentionally cause server-side errors, the application server processes these requests without imposing constraints on the length of error messages that are generated and returned to the client. This behavior creates a memory exhaustion scenario where the server's memory allocation for error handling grows exponentially with each malicious request, eventually leading to system instability, application crashes, or complete service unavailability. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the server's inherent lack of resource boundary enforcement during error processing, making it particularly effective against systems that do not implement proper request throttling or resource limitation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader system stability concerns and potential business continuity risks. Attackers can effectively consume server memory resources at an accelerated rate through repeated requests, potentially causing cascading failures that affect other applications running on the same server infrastructure. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through automated tools, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where ColdFusion applications handle sensitive data and critical business operations. The memory consumption pattern typically follows a predictable degradation curve where each successful attack request compounds the resource exhaustion, leading to progressive system performance degradation before eventual complete failure. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA security triad and represents a significant concern for organizations relying on ColdFusion-based applications for their operational infrastructure.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary remediation involves upgrading to Macromedia ColdFusion MX 6.1 or later versions where the error message size restrictions have been properly implemented. System administrators should also configure application-level rate limiting and request throttling mechanisms to prevent excessive error-triggering requests from overwhelming server resources. Network-level firewalls and intrusion prevention systems can be configured to detect and block patterns of repeated malformed requests that are characteristic of this attack vector. Additionally, implementing proper error handling and logging mechanisms can help identify when such attacks are occurring and provide early warning of potential resource exhaustion scenarios. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-1321 which addresses insufficient error message size limits, and the attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the denial of service category, specifically targeting resource exhaustion through application-level manipulation.