Adobe ColdFusion: Incorrect authorization allowing arbitrary code execution
Summary
Adobe ColdFusion 2023 and 2025 contain an Incorrect Authorization flaw (CWE-863) that is addressed in security bulletin APSB26-144. A low-privileged attacker with local access can execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user, and the scope changes, so the impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component. No user interaction is required. Adobe is not aware of any exploits in the wild.
Affected
- Adobe ColdFusion 2025: 2025.0.13 and earlier
- Adobe ColdFusion 2023: 2023.0.25 and earlier
- CVSS 8.8 (v3.1), vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H as listed in the CVE record; the Adobe bulletin excerpt was garbled and the mapping should be verified on the Adobe page
Fixed in
- Adobe ColdFusion 2023: Update 26 (2023.0.26), released October 13, 2026
- Adobe ColdFusion 2025: 2025.0.14 (build number from secondary sources, verify on the Adobe bulletin)
Workaround
- No patch-independent workaround known. Unknown.
- Adobe advises against rendering untrusted HTML containing external resource URLs until a known gap in the cfdocument outbound policy is addressed.
Exploitation
- Adobe is not aware of any exploits in the wild for the issues in APSB26-144.
- Tenable lists no known exploits for this CVE.
- No public proof of concept found.
- CISA KEV listing not confirmed.
Our recommendation
- Identify all ColdFusion 2023 and 2025 instances, especially internet-facing and intranet servers.
- Patch to ColdFusion 2023 Update 26 or 2025 Update 14, after confirming the fixed version on the Adobe bulletin.
- Patch the whole APSB26-144 bulletin, as it contains several more critical CVEs, including an unauthenticated file upload flaw.
- Test applications after patching, as Update 26 includes a Tomcat upgrade and a known issue.
- Review administrative access and authentication on ColdFusion servers and monitor for unusual activity.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Adobe Security Bulletin APSB26-144 www.adobe.com
- Adobe ColdFusion 2023 Release Update 26 guides.adobe.com
- Blacktree: Adobe October 2026 security fixes blacktree.nl
- Zero Day Initiative: October 2026 security update review www.zerodayinitiative.com
- Tenable Nessus plugin 366551 www.tenable.com
- Strix: CVE-2026-106617 www.strix.ai
- Offseq: CVE-2026-106617 radar.offseq.com
- HKCERT: Adobe monthly security update October 2026 www.hkcert.org
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 31 Oct 2026, 17:13.
Original description (NVD)
ColdFusion is affected by an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. A low-privileged attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Scope is changed.
NVD references (1)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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