CVE-2013-3336 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, 9.0.2, and 10 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2024
Adobe ColdFusion represents a widely deployed enterprise web application platform that enables developers to build dynamic web applications using the coldfusion markup language. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3336 affects versions 9.0, 9.0.1, 9.0.2, and 10 of this platform, creating a critical security exposure that permits remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected systems. This vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure flaws that can be exploited without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where sensitive data is frequently processed and stored. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, potentially including file inclusion mechanisms, parameter manipulation, or direct path traversal techniques.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the ColdFusion application server implementation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass normal access controls and retrieve files that should remain protected, including configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and potentially sensitive business data. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or local network privileges to carry out the attack, making it a severe threat to organizations with exposed ColdFusion installations. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-22 as Path Traversal, where an attacker can manipulate input to access files outside of the intended directory structure.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-3336 extends far beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other vulnerabilities. Organizations running affected ColdFusion versions face significant risk of data breaches, intellectual property theft, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability can be exploited to access sensitive configuration files that may contain database connection strings, encryption keys, and administrative credentials that could enable further attacks. Additionally, the exposure of application source code can provide attackers with insights into the application architecture, potentially revealing additional vulnerabilities that could be exploited for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 for Data from Local System and T1083 for File and Directory Discovery, which are commonly used by threat actors to enumerate and exfiltrate sensitive information.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the latest security patches from Adobe, which address the root cause of the vulnerability through enhanced input validation and access control mechanisms. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to ColdFusion administration interfaces and reduce the attack surface. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security monitoring and incident response procedures to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. System administrators should review access controls and implement principle of least privilege configurations to minimize the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and file integrity monitoring solutions to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in their ColdFusion environments.