CVE-2026-48338 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE • 07/15/2026
ColdFusion is affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary file system read. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive files and directories outside the intended access scope. 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 represents a critical path traversal flaw in Adobe ColdFusion that allows attackers to bypass directory restrictions and access arbitrary files on the underlying file system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper limitation of pathname parameters, enabling malicious actors to manipulate file access requests through specially crafted input sequences. According to CWE-22, this weakness occurs when a program allows a user to control the pathname used to access an object, but does not properly limit the pathname to a specific directory, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability typically involves attackers exploiting insufficient sanitization of file path parameters in ColdFusion applications. When ColdFusion processes file operations such as file reading or writing, it fails to adequately validate or sanitize user-supplied input that influences the target file path. This allows attackers to use directory traversal sequences like ../ or ..\ to navigate outside the intended directory boundaries and access restricted system files, configuration data, or sensitive application resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. An attacker can leverage this weakness to read critical system files including password hashes, database connection strings, application configuration files, and potentially sensitive business data stored in the file system. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no user interaction, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered automatically through web requests, API calls, or automated scanning tools.
This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing for Information), where attackers use path traversal to enumerate system resources and extract sensitive information. The attack surface is particularly broad since ColdFusion applications often handle file operations, and the vulnerability can affect various components including web services, file upload mechanisms, and content management systems within the platform.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation at all application layers, restricting file access permissions to the minimum required, and implementing proper path normalization techniques. Security measures should include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block traversal sequences, applying the latest security patches from Adobe, and conducting comprehensive code reviews to identify all potential file access points. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be performed to ensure that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the ColdFusion environment, with particular attention to directory traversal patterns in custom applications and third-party components that may interact with file system operations.