CVE-2026-48385 in ColdFusion
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2026
ColdFusion is affected by an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability that could result in a Security feature bypass. A low-privileged attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized write access. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Scope is changed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2026
ColdFusion suffers from a critical operating system command injection vulnerability classified as improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, which represents a direct violation of the CWE-77 attack pattern. This vulnerability exists within the application's handling of user-supplied input that is subsequently passed to operating system commands without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. The flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that execute with the privileges of the ColdFusion application server, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited remotely without requiring any user interaction.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when ColdFusion processes user input through functions or APIs that directly invoke operating system commands, such as cfexecute, cfldap, or other system integration components. When these functions receive unvalidated input containing special shell metacharacters like semicolons, pipes, or command substitution operators, the system fails to properly escape or filter these characters before executing the underlying OS commands. This creates a direct pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code on the host system, effectively bypassing any security controls that rely on proper input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it enables attackers to perform unauthorized write operations and potentially escalate privileges within the affected environment. A low-privileged attacker can leverage this weakness to circumvent security mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to system resources, file systems, or network configurations. The vulnerability's ability to operate without user interaction makes it particularly dangerous for automated exploitation scenarios, where attackers can systematically probe targets and establish persistent access points.
Security controls based on input validation or privilege enforcement become ineffective against this attack vector, as the command injection allows bypass of these protective measures entirely. Attackers can use this vulnerability to modify system files, install backdoors, create new user accounts, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the compromised ColdFusion environment. The attack surface expands significantly when considering that ColdFusion servers often run with elevated privileges and may have access to databases, network resources, and other critical systems within the enterprise infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and proper command parameterization techniques to prevent OS command injection attacks. Organizations must update their ColdFusion installations to the latest security patches provided by Adobe, while also implementing network segmentation, privilege separation, and regular security assessments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreters and T1068 for exploit private information, making it a critical target for defensive measures including web application firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and comprehensive monitoring of system call patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.