CVE-2009-3960 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in BlazeDS 3.2 and earlier, as used in LiveCycle 8.0.1, 8.2.1, and 9.0, LiveCycle Data Services 2.5.1, 2.6.1, and 3.0, Flex Data Services 2.0.1, and ColdFusion 7.0.2, 8.0, 8.0.1, and 9.0, allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via vectors that are associated with a request, and related to injected tags and external entity references in XML documents.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3960 represents a critical information disclosure flaw affecting multiple Adobe products including BlazeDS, LiveCycle, LiveCycle Data Services, Flex Data Services, and ColdFusion versions. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation within the XML processing mechanisms of these applications, creating a pathway for remote attackers to extract sensitive data through carefully crafted malicious requests. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the affected systems process XML documents that contain injected tags and external entity references, allowing attackers to leverage XML parsing behaviors to access unauthorized information. The flaw exists in the way these applications handle XML data processing, particularly when they encounter external entity declarations within XML documents that are submitted through various application interfaces.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and specifically relates to CWE-611, which covers improper restriction of XML external entity references. The attack vector involves sending malicious XML content to the vulnerable applications, where the XML parser processes external entity references and potentially resolves them to access local files or network resources. The exploitation occurs through request manipulation that triggers the XML processing pipeline, enabling attackers to inject tags that reference external entities, which can then be resolved to disclose system information, configuration details, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic XML external entity (XXE) attack pattern where the application fails to properly sanitize XML input before processing, allowing for information leakage through the XML parsing mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant across multiple deployment scenarios where these Adobe products are utilized. Organizations using affected versions of BlazeDS, LiveCycle, and related services face potential exposure of sensitive business data, system configurations, and internal network information. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for applications that process external XML input from untrusted sources. Attackers can potentially access file system information, database connection details, internal service endpoints, and other confidential data that resides on the servers hosting these applications. The vulnerability affects both web applications and enterprise services that rely on XML processing for data exchange, creating widespread potential impact across various business critical systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3960 should focus on implementing proper XML input validation and disabling external entity resolution in XML parsers used by the affected applications. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of the vulnerable software products, as Adobe released updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Configuration changes must include disabling external entity resolution in XML processing libraries and implementing strict input validation for all XML data received by the applications. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and web application firewalls can help filter malicious XML requests before they reach the vulnerable components. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and limiting the exposure of XML processing endpoints can reduce the attack surface. The remediation approach should follow security best practices outlined in the OWASP XML External Entity Prevention Cheat Sheet, which recommends disabling external entities and using secure XML parsing configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure complete patch deployment across their infrastructure.