CVE-2017-11284 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe ColdFusion has an Untrusted Data Deserialization vulnerability. This affects Update 4 and earlier versions for ColdFusion 2016, and Update 12 and earlier versions for ColdFusion 11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
Adobe ColdFusion suffers from a critical untrusted data deserialization vulnerability that enables remote code execution through maliciously crafted serialized objects. This flaw exists in the way the application processes serialized data without proper validation or sanitization, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary code during the deserialization process. The vulnerability specifically impacts ColdFusion 2016 versions prior to Update 4 and ColdFusion 11 versions prior to Update 12, making these installations particularly susceptible to exploitation. The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-502 which catalogs deserialization of untrusted data as a significant security weakness. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by sending specially crafted serialized objects to the ColdFusion server, which then processes these objects during deserialization, executing malicious code with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11284 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows attackers to gain persistent access to the underlying server, potentially leading to lateral movement within networks and escalation of privileges. The vulnerability's exploitation path follows ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution and T1078 for legitimate credential use, as attackers can establish backdoors and maintain access through the compromised ColdFusion application. Organizations running affected versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access, system disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in environments where ColdFusion serves as a critical web application platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected ColdFusion installations to the latest available updates, which address the deserialization flaw through proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to ColdFusion servers, deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious serialized data traffic, and conduct thorough security assessments of all ColdFusion applications to identify potential attack vectors. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary deserialization functionality, implementing strict input validation for all user-supplied data, and establishing robust monitoring and logging procedures to detect anomalous deserialization activities. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular vulnerability scanning to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in the application stack.