CVE-2022-38424 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE • 10/15/2022
Adobe ColdFusion versions Update 14 (and earlier) and Update 4 (and earlier) are affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability that could result in arbitrary file system write. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction, but does require administrator privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2022
Adobe ColdFusion contains a critical path traversal vulnerability that allows attackers with administrator privileges to write arbitrary files to the file system. This flaw exists in versions Update 14 and earlier, as well as Update 4 and earlier, making it a widespread issue across multiple release lines. The vulnerability stems from improper limitation of pathname to a restricted directory, which directly maps to CWE-22 - Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate file system paths and bypass directory restrictions through carefully crafted input sequences.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires administrative privileges, which significantly reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely. Attackers can leverage this issue to perform arbitrary file system writes, potentially allowing them to deploy malicious code, modify critical system files, or establish persistent backdoors within the ColdFusion environment. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, meaning that once an attacker gains administrative access, they can immediately exploit this weakness without additional user engagement. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as attackers can use the file system write capability to deploy malicious scripts or payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file system manipulation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially compromise the entire ColdFusion application server, leading to data breaches, service disruption, or complete system compromise. The path traversal mechanism allows for writing files to arbitrary locations within the file system, which could include web root directories, configuration files, or even system-level binaries. This capability fundamentally undermines the security model of the ColdFusion platform and creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks.
Organizations should immediately apply the latest security patches from Adobe to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy includes updating to Adobe ColdFusion versions that have fixed this path traversal issue, implementing strict access controls to prevent unauthorized administrative access, and monitoring file system modifications for suspicious activity. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege management controls to limit the potential impact of administrative credential compromise. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in the broader application ecosystem. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and path handling in web applications, as highlighted by industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.