CVE-2025-43561: Critical Authorization Vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion

Overview

On May 13, 2025, Adobe disclosed CVE-2025-43561, a critical security flaw in its ColdFusion product line. Classified as CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization, this vulnerability allows a high-privileged attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user without user interaction. The flaw affects ColdFusion versions 2025.1, 2023.13, 2021.19 and earlier.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability stems from incorrect authorization checks within ColdFusion components. Attackers who already possess high-level privileges can exploit this weakness over the network to bypass authentication mechanisms and run arbitrary code. The attack requires no user interaction, and due to a changed scope, exploitation may impact other components beyond the ColdFusion instance.

Affected Versions

• Adobe ColdFusion 2025.1
• Adobe ColdFusion 2023.13
• Adobe ColdFusion 2021.19 and earlier

Technical Analysis

This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1, indicating critical severity. The CVSS vector string is:

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Key attributes include:

• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: High
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Changed
• Confidentiality Impact: High
• Integrity Impact: High
• Availability Impact: High

The combination of low complexity and no user interaction makes this flaw highly dangerous in enterprise environments, especially when ColdFusion is deployed with elevated privileges or exposed services.

Understanding CWE-863

Incorrect Authorization occurs when an application incorrectly assumes that a user has the right to perform a particular action. In this case, Adobe ColdFusion fails to properly enforce access restrictions, enabling unauthorized code execution and potentially leading to data exfiltration or further system compromise.

Impact and Exploitation

An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could:

• Execute arbitrary code within the application’s context
• Bypass internal security mechanisms
• Gain access to sensitive files or services
• Disrupt application availability

Adobe’s official security advisory highlights the need for prompt action.

Mitigation and Recommendations

• Upgrade to the latest version of Adobe ColdFusion.
• Restrict network access to ColdFusion admin interfaces.
• Enforce strict role-based access controls (RBAC).
• Audit logs and monitor for unusual activity.

Conclusion

CVE-2025-43561 reinforces the critical importance of rigorous authorization checks in secure software design. As ColdFusion remains widely used in enterprise web applications, organizations should act quickly to remediate the risk and strengthen their security posture.