CVE-2018-15958 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe ColdFusion versions July 12 release (2018.0.0.310739), Update 6 and earlier, and Update 14 and earlier have a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2025
Adobe ColdFusion is a web application development platform that enables developers to build and deploy dynamic web applications using the ColdFusion Markup Language. The platform serves as a middleware solution that processes user input and generates web content, making it a critical component in enterprise web infrastructures. The July 12 2018 release and subsequent updates through Update 6 and Update 14 contain a critical vulnerability in their object serialization and deserialization mechanisms that directly impacts the platform's security posture.
The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of serialized data during the deserialization process within the ColdFusion runtime environment. When the application receives serialized data from external sources such as HTTP parameters, cookies, or file uploads, it attempts to reconstruct the original objects without adequate sanitization checks. This flaw allows attackers to craft malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable ColdFusion instance, trigger unintended code execution. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of Java serialized objects within the ColdFusion framework, creating a path for remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected server.
This deserialization vulnerability maps directly to CWE-502 which defines the weakness of deserializing untrusted data. The attack vector typically involves crafting specially crafted serialized objects that contain malicious payloads designed to exploit the target environment. When ColdFusion processes these objects, the deserialization process executes the embedded malicious code with the privileges of the ColdFusion service account. The operational impact is severe as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or deploy additional malware. Organizations running vulnerable versions face significant risk since ColdFusion instances often have access to backend databases, file systems, and network resources.
The attack pattern aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to command and control through deserialization attacks and privilege escalation. The vulnerability enables attackers to move laterally within networks by leveraging the compromised ColdFusion server as a pivot point for accessing other systems. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability affects both the web application layer and the underlying server infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on ColdFusion for critical business applications. The remediation requires immediate patching of the affected versions to address the deserialization flaw. Organizations should also implement network segmentation, monitor for suspicious serialized data patterns, and conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization measures can provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.