CVE-2005-2306 in Coldfusion MX
Summary
by MITRE
race condition in macromedia jrun 4.0 coldfusion mx 6.1 and 7.0 when under heavy load causes jrun to assign a duplicate authentication token to multiple sessions which could allow authenticated users to gain privileges as other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2306 represents a critical race condition flaw within macromedia jrun 4.0 coldfusion mx 6.1 and 7.0 web application servers that manifests under high system load conditions. This issue fundamentally compromises the authentication mechanism by allowing the system to assign identical authentication tokens to multiple concurrent sessions simultaneously. The race condition occurs when multiple threads or processes attempt to generate and assign authentication tokens in parallel, creating a temporal window where duplicate tokens can be generated and distributed to different user sessions. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions in software systems, making it a classic example of concurrent programming flaws that can lead to severe security implications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the timing gap between token generation and token assignment processes within the jrun application server framework. When the system experiences heavy load, the synchronization mechanisms that should prevent duplicate token assignment become overwhelmed or fail to properly coordinate concurrent access to the token generation resource. This allows malicious or legitimate users to potentially intercept and reuse authentication tokens, effectively enabling privilege escalation attacks. The flaw specifically targets the session management component of the coldfusion application server, where authentication tokens serve as the primary mechanism for user identification and authorization validation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to impersonate other authenticated users by leveraging the duplicate tokens, potentially gaining unauthorized access to restricted resources or performing actions beyond their legitimate privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-2306 extends beyond simple authentication bypass to encompass broader security compromise scenarios within web application environments. Organizations utilizing affected jrun versions under high load conditions face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data, system resources, and administrative functions. The vulnerability's exploitation becomes more likely during peak usage periods or when the application server handles numerous concurrent user sessions, making it particularly dangerous in production environments with substantial user traffic. This race condition essentially undermines the fundamental security principle of unique session identification, allowing attackers to potentially access other users' sessions without proper authentication. The attack vector aligns with techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy under attack technique 0001 which categorizes session hijacking and authentication bypass methods, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise applications where user privacy and data protection are paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of both software patches and operational controls to address the underlying race condition. The primary solution involves applying official security patches released by macromedia (later adobe) that correct the synchronization mechanisms in the jrun server component. Organizations should implement proper load management techniques to reduce the likelihood of triggering the race condition, including connection pooling optimization and request queuing mechanisms. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems and session monitoring tools can help detect unusual authentication token usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing stronger session management practices including token expiration mechanisms, secure random number generation for token creation, and regular session validation checks can provide layered defense against potential exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper concurrent programming practices and adequate testing under load conditions, as outlined in security standards that emphasize the need for robust synchronization mechanisms in multi-threaded applications. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as two-factor authentication or certificate-based authentication to provide alternative security layers that remain effective even if session token management fails.