CVE-2023-38203 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2023
Adobe ColdFusion versions 2018u17 (and earlier), 2021u7 (and earlier) and 2023u1 (and earlier) are affected by a Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability that could result in Arbitrary code execution. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2024
Adobe ColdFusion is a web application development platform that enables organizations to build and deploy dynamic web applications using the ColdFusion Markup Language. The platform supports various enterprise applications and is widely used in corporate environments for business-critical systems. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software including 2018u17 and earlier, 2021u7 and earlier, and 2023u1 and earlier releases. The affected versions represent a significant portion of the ColdFusion user base, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise security.
The vulnerability classified as CVE-2023-38203 represents a deserialization of untrusted data flaw that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This type of vulnerability occurs when applications deserialize data from untrusted sources without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw specifically impacts the ColdFusion application server's handling of serialized objects, particularly those related to the remote administration interface. When an attacker sends maliciously crafted serialized data to the application server, the deserialization process can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the ColdFusion service account. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-502 as Deserialization of Untrusted Data, which is a well-known weakness in software security that has been exploited in numerous high-profile attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for affected organizations. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain full control over the ColdFusion server, enabling them to execute arbitrary commands, access sensitive data, modify application behavior, and potentially establish persistence within the network. Since exploitation does not require user interaction, attackers can leverage this vulnerability through automated scanning and exploitation tools. The vulnerability affects the remote administration interface of ColdFusion, which typically runs on port 8500 by default, making it accessible to external attackers who can directly target the administration console. Organizations using older versions of ColdFusion are particularly at risk as these versions lack the security mitigations present in newer releases, and many organizations may not have implemented proper network segmentation or access controls.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patches to address this vulnerability. Adobe has released security updates for all affected versions, and organizations should upgrade to the latest available versions of ColdFusion. In addition to patching, network segmentation should be implemented to restrict access to the ColdFusion administration interface, limiting access to trusted IP addresses only. The remote administration interface should be configured to use strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication and regular credential rotation. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns related to deserialization attempts, and intrusion detection systems should be configured to alert on suspicious activity targeting the ColdFusion administration ports. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as attackers may use this vulnerability to establish initial access and then escalate privileges within the network. System administrators should also implement regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify any other potentially unpatched systems within their environment that may be running older versions of ColdFusion or similar vulnerable components.