CVE-2013-0631 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in January 2013.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
Adobe ColdFusion versions 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 contained a critical information disclosure vulnerability that enabled attackers to access sensitive system data through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during January 2013, demonstrating its significance and the immediate threat it posed to affected organizations. The flaw allowed unauthorized individuals to extract confidential information from the ColdFusion application server, potentially including system configurations, user credentials, and other sensitive operational data that could be leveraged for further attacks. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential pathways through which the information disclosure could occur, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through various methods. The vulnerability was categorized under CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" in software systems, indicating that the flaw resulted in unintended data leakage that could compromise system security. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers "File and Directory Discovery," as attackers could potentially use the information disclosure to gain knowledge about the underlying system structure and data locations. The exploitation of this vulnerability in real-world scenarios highlighted the importance of timely patch management and proper security configuration of enterprise application servers. Organizations running these affected ColdFusion versions faced significant risk of data breaches and system compromise, as the vulnerability could be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or specialized attack tools. The attack surface was particularly concerning because ColdFusion servers often serve as critical components in enterprise web applications, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to access sensitive business data. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability's exploitation could lead to broader compromise of the affected systems, as the leaked information could be used to plan more sophisticated attacks or to identify additional weaknesses in the target environment.
The information disclosure vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 represented a serious security gap that could be exploited by threat actors to gather intelligence about target systems. This weakness in the application server's security architecture allowed attackers to access sensitive data that should have been protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability's exploitation in January 2013 demonstrated how quickly such flaws could be weaponized by malicious actors in real-world attacks. The unspecified attack vectors suggested that multiple methods could be used to exploit the vulnerability, making it more challenging for organizations to defend against all potential attack scenarios. The threat landscape for this vulnerability was particularly concerning as it could be leveraged to gain access to system configurations, database connection strings, and other sensitive information that could facilitate further compromise of the affected systems. Security analysts identified that the vulnerability could potentially be combined with other attack techniques to create more sophisticated exploitation scenarios, aligning with ATT&CK tactics that involve reconnaissance and privilege escalation. The affected versions of ColdFusion were widely used in enterprise environments, which meant that successful exploitation could potentially impact numerous organizations across different industries. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-200 emphasized the fundamental nature of the flaw, which was essentially a failure in information protection mechanisms within the application server. Organizations that failed to patch this vulnerability were left exposed to potential data breaches and system compromise, as the information disclosure could provide attackers with enough knowledge to plan targeted attacks against the affected systems.
Organizations affected by CVE-2013-0631 faced significant operational and security risks due to the information disclosure vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion versions 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2. The vulnerability allowed attackers to extract sensitive data that could include system configurations, user credentials, and application-specific information that could be used for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. This type of vulnerability could lead to substantial business impact through data loss, regulatory compliance violations, and potential financial losses from cyber attacks. The exploitation of this vulnerability in the wild during January 2013 demonstrated the urgency of addressing such security gaps in enterprise application infrastructure. Security professionals noted that the information disclosure could be particularly damaging when combined with other attack vectors, as the leaked data could provide attackers with detailed insights into the target environment's architecture and security posture. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed ColdFusion versions meant that many organizations were potentially exposed to similar risks, creating a widespread threat landscape that required immediate attention. The attack techniques associated with this vulnerability aligned with ATT&CK methodology's reconnaissance and credential access phases, indicating that threat actors could use the information disclosure as a stepping stone for more comprehensive attacks. Organizations that had not implemented proper network segmentation or access controls were particularly vulnerable to exploitation, as the leaked information could be used to identify and target other systems within the same network infrastructure. The incident highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive vulnerability management processes to prevent exploitation of known security flaws.
The technical implementation of the information disclosure vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 demonstrated a failure in the application server's access control mechanisms and data protection protocols. The unspecified attack vectors indicated that multiple pathways existed through which unauthorized access to sensitive information could occur, suggesting fundamental weaknesses in how the system handled authentication and authorization requests. This vulnerability represented a critical gap in the application server's security architecture, allowing attackers to bypass normal access controls and retrieve confidential data that should have been protected through proper security measures. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-200 underscored the severity of the information exposure, as it indicated that the system was not properly protecting sensitive data from unauthorized disclosure. Security researchers identified that the flaw could be exploited through various means including direct requests to system components, manipulation of application parameters, or leveraging existing system functionality to access protected resources. The exploitation process likely involved crafting specific requests that would trigger the information disclosure behavior, potentially through malformed input or by exploiting weaknesses in the application's request handling mechanisms. Organizations that had not implemented proper input validation and access control measures were particularly susceptible to this type of attack, as the vulnerability could be leveraged without requiring sophisticated attack techniques or specialized tools. The incident reinforced industry best practices for secure application development and highlighted the importance of implementing proper security controls from the initial design phase of enterprise applications. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrated the need for comprehensive security testing and continuous monitoring of application environments to identify and remediate similar security gaps before they could be exploited by malicious actors. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability aligned with ATT&CK techniques that emphasize the importance of protecting sensitive system information and implementing proper access controls to prevent unauthorized data access. Organizations implementing mitigation strategies typically focused on applying vendor patches, implementing network monitoring, and enhancing their overall security posture to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future. The incident served as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current security configurations and ensuring that enterprise application servers are properly secured against known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors.