CVE-2007-0817 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion web server allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or web script via the User-Agent HTTP header, which is not sanitized before being displayed in an error page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0817 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Adobe ColdFusion web server implementations that exposes applications to remote code execution risks through user agent manipulation. This weakness specifically targets the error handling mechanism of the ColdFusion server where user-supplied data from the User-Agent HTTP header is inadequately sanitized before being rendered in error page contexts. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the server's error reporting functionality, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can craft specially formatted User-Agent strings to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of legitimate users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits a malicious User-Agent header containing embedded HTML or JavaScript code to a ColdFusion application. When the server encounters an error condition and displays an error page, it renders the unsanitized User-Agent value directly into the page content without proper HTML escaping or encoding. This creates a classic XSS vector where the injected script executes in the victim's browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the targeted application environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to applications running on vulnerable ColdFusion servers, potentially compromising entire web application infrastructures. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local system access or authentication. Organizations running ColdFusion applications are particularly vulnerable as this flaw affects the core web server functionality rather than specific application code, making it a widespread concern across deployments. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security hygiene in input sanitization practices and highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing of error handling mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0817 should prioritize immediate patching of affected ColdFusion versions through official Adobe security updates. Organizations should implement input validation at multiple layers including HTTP header sanitization, output encoding for all dynamic content, and comprehensive error handling procedures that prevent raw user input from reaching display contexts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all ColdFusion applications to identify similar input validation gaps in other HTTP headers or parameters. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be implemented to detect similar vulnerabilities in custom application code. The remediation process must also include comprehensive security training for developers on secure coding practices and the implementation of automated input validation and output encoding mechanisms within application frameworks.