Adobe ColdFusion Administrator Console Directory Traversal LFI Vulnerability (CVE-2010-2861)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTAdobe ColdFusion 9.0.1 and earlier versions containing the CFIDE/administrator console
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit directory traversal to read arbitrary system and configuration files, potentially retrieving administrator password hashes and fully compromising the server
Apply the official APSB10-18 security patch, restrict external access to the CFIDE directory, or upgrade to a supported secure version
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official hotfix specified in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-18 or migrate to a supported, secure version of ColdFusion. Below is an example of stopping the ColdFusion service on Linux to prepare for patching:
# Stop the ColdFusion service (adjust path based on your installation)
/opt/coldfusion9/bin/coldfusion stop
# Apply the security patch or upgrade, then restart the service
/opt/coldfusion9/bin/coldfusion start2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be performed immediately, block all external access to the '/CFIDE/administrator' directory. Configure your web server or reverse proxy to restrict access to trusted internal IP addresses only.
# Nginx configuration to restrict access to the CFIDE administrator directory
server {
listen 80;
server_name your-coldfusion-app.com;
location /CFIDE/administrator {
allow 192.168.10.0/24; # Allow trusted admin subnet
deny all; # Block all other traffic
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8500;
}
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8500;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Scan web server access logs for directory traversal patterns associated with the 'locale' parameter to identify potential exploitation attempts.
# Scan Apache/Nginx access logs for CVE-2010-2861 exploitation attempts
grep -Ei 'locale=.*(\.\./|%2e%2e%2f)' /var/log/nginx/access.log /var/log/httpd/access_log 2>/dev/nullBlock Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability is a critical Directory Traversal (Local File Inclusion) flaw in the localization functionality of the Adobe ColdFusion Administrator console. It arises due to insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input in the 'locale' parameter across multiple administrative CFML scripts. Because the application fails to filter directory traversal sequences (such as '../'), attackers can manipulate the file path resolution mechanism.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An unauthenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP GET request targeting vulnerable endpoints like 'CFIDE/administrator/enter.cfm' with a manipulated 'locale' parameter. By supplying traversal sequences (e.g., 'locale=../../../../../../../../lib/password.properties'), the attacker bypasses intended directory boundaries to read sensitive configuration files. On ColdFusion installations, this allows the extraction of the administrator's SHA-1 or HMAC-SHA1 password hash, which can then be cracked or leveraged in pass-the-hash style attacks to gain full administrative access.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog and an EPSS score of 0.9975, this vulnerability has been heavily exploited in the wild. Successful exploitation grants attackers administrative control over the ColdFusion application, enabling them to manipulate database connections (Datasources), exfiltrate sensitive business data, upload malicious CFML web shells, and achieve complete remote code execution (RCE) on the underlying host.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in the administrator console in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the locale parameter to (1) CFIDE/administrator/settings/mappings.cfm, (2) logging/settings.cfm, (3) datasources/index.cfm, (4) j2eepackaging/editarchive.cfm, and (5) enter.cfm in CFIDE/administrator/.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2010-2861)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2010-2861 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2010-2861 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 99.8%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2010-2861?
Primary impacted vendors include adobe across coldfusion. Scope summary: Adobe ColdFusion versions 9.0.1, 9.0, 8.0.1, 8.0, and earlier
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2010-2861 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official APSB10-18 security patch, restrict external access to the CFIDE directory, or upgrade to a supported secure version Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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