Authentication Bypass in Adobe ColdFusion Leads to RCE

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-48325 is a Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion. This means that a critical function or feature in ColdFusion can be accessed without proper authentication, allowing unauthorized users to interact with it.

The vulnerability could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. This means an attacker could run malicious code on the affected system, potentially taking control of it or performing unauthorized actions.

Exploitation of this issue does not require any user interaction, making it particularly dangerous. Additionally, the scope of the vulnerability is changed, indicating that its impact may extend beyond the initially affected component.

The CVSS v3.1 base score for this vulnerability is 9.3, categorized as critical. The vector AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N indicates that the attack can be carried out over adjacent networks with low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction. It also has a high impact on confidentiality and integrity, with no impact on availability.

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Detection Guidance

The provided context does not include specific detection methods or commands for identifying the Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability in ColdFusion (CVE-2026-48325).

Generally, to detect such vulnerabilities, you might check for unusual access patterns or unauthorized requests to critical functions in ColdFusion logs. Additionally, you could use vulnerability scanning tools that support CVE detection to identify if your system is affected.

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Impact Analysis

If you are using Adobe ColdFusion, this vulnerability could have severe consequences for your systems and data.

• Arbitrary code execution: An attacker could execute malicious code on your system, potentially gaining control over it.
• Unauthorized access: Since authentication is missing for a critical function, attackers could access sensitive features or data without proper credentials.
• Data breaches: The high impact on confidentiality (C:H) means that sensitive data could be accessed or exfiltrated by attackers.
• System compromise: The high impact on integrity (I:H) means attackers could modify or delete critical data or configurations.
• No user interaction required: The vulnerability can be exploited without any action from legitimate users, increasing the risk of silent attacks.

Given the critical severity of this vulnerability, it is essential to apply patches or mitigations as soon as they are available to prevent potential exploitation.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could significantly impact compliance with various standards and regulations, depending on the nature of the data and systems involved.

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): If the affected ColdFusion system processes or stores personal data of EU citizens, a breach resulting from this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or disclosure of personal data. This would violate GDPR requirements for data protection and could result in substantial fines (up to 4% of global annual revenue or €20 million, whichever is higher).
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): If the system handles protected health information (PHI), exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or modification of PHI. This would violate HIPAA's Security Rule and Privacy Rule, potentially resulting in fines and legal consequences.
• PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard): If the system processes, stores, or transmits payment card data, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to cardholder data. This would violate multiple PCI DSS requirements, potentially leading to fines, increased transaction fees, or loss of ability to process payments.
• Other regulations: Depending on the industry and jurisdiction, other regulations such as SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act), FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act), or industry-specific standards may also be impacted if the vulnerability leads to unauthorized access or data breaches.

Organizations should assess the potential impact of this vulnerability on their compliance posture and take immediate steps to mitigate the risk, such as applying patches or implementing compensating controls.

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Mitigation Strategies

Since the vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution without user interaction and has a high CVSS score (9.3), immediate steps should focus on reducing exposure and applying available patches or workarounds.

• Apply the latest security patches or updates provided by Adobe for ColdFusion as soon as they are available. Check Adobe's security bulletins or patch release notes for fixes related to CVE-2026-48325.
• Restrict network access to ColdFusion administrative interfaces and critical functions to trusted IP addresses or internal networks only.
• Monitor ColdFusion logs for suspicious activity, such as unexpected requests to sensitive endpoints or functions.
• Consider implementing network segmentation to isolate ColdFusion servers from other critical systems to limit the potential impact of exploitation.
• If no patch is available, review Adobe's security advisories for recommended workarounds or mitigations specific to this vulnerability.

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