Adobe has issued a security bulletin regarding a serious vulnerability in ColdFusion, identified as CVE-2024-53961, which affects versions 2021 and 2023. This flaw allows potential attackers to perform arbitrary file system reads, posing a significant risk of unauthorized access and data exposure. Adobe has categorized this vulnerability as “Priority 1” due to the imminent risk and has released emergency patches for affected systems.
Adobe issues security alert for ColdFusion vulnerability CVE-2024-53961
The vulnerability arises from a path traversal weakness within Adobe ColdFusion’s architecture, which can be exploited to access sensitive files on vulnerable web servers. Both ColdFusion 2021 and ColdFusion 2023 are affected. Although exploits leveraging this vulnerability have been publicly demonstrated via proof-of-concept (PoC) code, Adobe has not reported any confirmed exploitation in active attacks. This situation necessitates urgent action from organizations using ColdFusion.
Adobe’s advisory emphasizes the importance of applying the latest security updates—specifically ColdFusion 2021 Update 18 and ColdFusion 2023 Update 12—within a 72-hour timeframe. The company also highlighted the necessity of security configuration settings as per the ColdFusion lockdown guides to enhance system integrity against attacks.
CISA previously cautioned software companies about the implications of path traversal vulnerabilities, which are endemic and can allow unauthorized data access. The agency categorizes such vulnerabilities as critical, citing their potential for exploitation to retrieve sensitive data, including user credentials. This disclosure follows the FBI’s ongoing alerts regarding the exploitation of ColdFusion flaws that have previously targeted federal organizations.
Prior mitigation actions
In light of the new vulnerability, organizations utilizing ColdFusion should adopt several best practices. First, apply the security patches released by Adobe promptly to mitigate risks associated with CVE-2024-53961. This step is essential, as the vulnerability’s nature allows attackers to read any file on the server, significantly raising the stakes for data breach incidents.
Moreover, implementing robust access controls and authentication mechanisms is advisable to limit unauthorized access to sensitive information. Organizations should also monitor their systems for any unusual activity that could signify attempts to exploit this vulnerability.
Historically, similar vulnerabilities, including CVE-2023-29298 and CVE-2023-38205, have been exploited against Adobe ColdFusion installations, prompting urgent measures by CISA in previous advisories. These vulnerabilities have reinforced the importance of maintaining updated systems as a defense against potential breaches, especially in light of last year’s alerts about ongoing exploitation of ColdFusion’s vulnerabilities.
The broader implications of arbitrary file read issues, such as those classified under CWE-22 and CWE-23, highlight a persistent challenge in cybersecurity. Experts continually stress the need for software developers to fortify their applications against such vulnerabilities, as they can lead to severe data breaches.
Featured image credit: Kerem Gülen/Midjourney
