CVE-2026-47931: Adobe ColdFusion Arbitrary Code Execution via Input Validation Flaw

Technical summary

CVE-2026-47931 is an improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20) affecting Adobe ColdFusion through versions 2023.19 and 2025.8. The vulnerability permits arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.4 reflects a high-severity issue with an adjacent network attack vector (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), and a requirement for high privileges (PR:H). The vulnerability has a changed scope (S:C), indicating that impacts extend beyond the vulnerable component, with complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise possible (C:H/I:H/A:H). Importantly, exploitation does not require user interaction (UI:N), meaning an attacker can execute attacks autonomously once network-adjacent access and high privileges are established.

Business impact

Compromise of a ColdFusion deployment through this vulnerability could result in complete data exfiltration, unauthorized modification of application logic and data, and denial of service. Given that ColdFusion often hosts business-critical applications—including customer-facing portals, transaction processing systems, and internal tools—exploitation could disrupt operations, trigger regulatory reporting obligations if sensitive data is accessed, and damage customer trust. The requirement for high-privilege access may limit the attacker pool, but insider threats and lateral movement from previously compromised accounts remain realistic attack scenarios in complex environments.

Affected systems

Adobe ColdFusion versions 2023.19, 2025.8, and all earlier versions are affected. This includes both the latest 2025 release and the preceding 2023 branch. Organizations must determine which ColdFusion versions are deployed across their infrastructure—including development, staging, and production environments—to assess their exposure. ColdFusion is used in legacy systems, web applications, and enterprise integrations, so affected systems may span multiple departments and business units.

Exploitability

The vulnerability requires the attacker to already possess high-privilege access to the system or network where ColdFusion is running. This is not a remote unauthenticated exploit; instead, it represents an escalation or lateral-movement risk for an attacker who has already gained elevated credentials or administrative access. The absence of user-interaction requirements means the attack can proceed without social engineering once the attacker has the necessary privileges. The adjacent network vector (AV:A) suggests the attacker must be on the same local network segment, which in modern environments may include compromised internal systems, cloud instances, or guest networks.

Remediation

Organizations must apply Adobe's security patches for ColdFusion as soon as they become available. Verify patch availability directly from Adobe's official security advisory and test patches in a non-production environment before deployment. Additionally, enforce strict access controls to limit which users and systems can interact with ColdFusion instances; restrict high-privilege account access, implement network segmentation to isolate ColdFusion servers from untrusted segments, and monitor for suspicious activity from privileged accounts. Organizations unable to patch immediately should prioritize this vulnerability in their remediation backlog and implement compensating controls to reduce the attack surface.

Patch guidance

Adobe will release patches for affected ColdFusion versions. Consult Adobe's official security advisory for specific patch version numbers and availability dates. Test patches in a non-production environment mimicking your production setup before rolling out to live systems. Given the high-severity rating and the risk of code execution, prioritize patching over normal change-management delays where security risk permits. Maintain detailed records of which systems have been patched and which remain vulnerable to support incident response and compliance reporting. Consider staggering deployment across non-critical systems first to identify any compatibility issues before patching critical business applications.

Detection guidance

Monitor ColdFusion application logs for unexpected code execution attempts, unusual API calls, or signs of privilege escalation from administrative accounts. Implement behavioral analytics to detect anomalous activity from high-privilege ColdFusion service accounts, such as sudden file system modifications, new code deployments, or unexpected outbound network connections. Network intrusion detection systems (IDS) should be tuned to flag suspicious traffic patterns on the network segments where ColdFusion is deployed. Consider deploying application-level web application firewalls (WAF) configured to scrutinize input to ColdFusion endpoints and block payloads consistent with input-validation bypass attempts. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions should monitor the ColdFusion process and its child processes for indicators of malicious execution.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability merits immediate prioritization because it enables arbitrary code execution on affected systems with a high CVSS score of 8.4 and complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While the requirement for high-privilege access narrows the attacker pool compared to unauthenticated exploits, insider threats, supply-chain compromises, and lateral movement attacks from other breached systems create realistic attack scenarios. ColdFusion systems often handle sensitive business data and run mission-critical applications, making their compromise a material business risk. Organizations should patch as soon as patches become available and implement compensating controls immediately if patching is delayed.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.4 (HIGH) reflects the combination of high-impact outcomes (complete C, I, A compromise), low attack complexity, and a changed scope that allows the attacker to reach beyond the vulnerable component. The primary mitigating factor is the requirement for high privileges (PR:H) and adjacent network access (AV:A), which prevent random internet-based attacks. However, the absence of user-interaction requirements and the severity of potential impacts justify the HIGH rating. In environments where ColdFusion systems are accessible to a broad set of privileged users or where lateral movement is feasible, the effective risk may be higher than the base score suggests.

Frequently asked questions