CVE-2026-48328 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE • 07/15/2026
ColdFusion is affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could result in a Security feature bypass. A low-privileged attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized read access. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Scope is changed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2026
This vulnerability resides within Adobe ColdFusion's input validation mechanisms, representing a critical weakness that undermines the application's security framework. The improper input validation flaw allows attackers to craft malicious inputs that circumvent established security controls, effectively creating a backdoor for unauthorized access. According to CWE-20 standards, this represents a classic input validation vulnerability where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before processing it. The vulnerability specifically targets ColdFusion's security features that are designed to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive resources and data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted inputs that exploit gaps in the validation logic. Attackers can manipulate input parameters to bypass authentication mechanisms, access restricted files, or gain read access to protected system resources without requiring legitimate credentials or user interaction. This automated exploitation capability significantly increases the threat surface and reduces the barrier for successful attacks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can enable further exploitation pathways including privilege escalation or lateral movement within the compromised environment.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are severe for organizations relying on ColdFusion applications, as it provides attackers with a method to bypass security controls without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. This means that even low-privileged attackers can potentially access sensitive data and system resources that should normally be protected by authentication and authorization mechanisms. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited autonomously, reducing the need for social engineering or other attack vectors that typically require more complex execution strategies.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigations including input validation hardening, security feature reinforcement, and comprehensive monitoring of suspicious access patterns. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1078 suggests that attackers may use this weakness to establish persistence within systems through legitimate credentials or by exploiting system vulnerabilities. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all ColdFusion installations and ensure proper patching procedures are followed according to Adobe's security advisories and industry best practices for application security management.
The scope change mentioned in the vulnerability description indicates that the impact extends beyond initial assumptions, potentially affecting multiple components or functions within the ColdFusion environment. This broader scope requires organizations to reassess their overall security posture and implement layered defensive measures including network segmentation, access control reviews, and enhanced logging capabilities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security testing and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses that may exist in other applications or systems within the organization's infrastructure.