Adobe ColdFusion Authentication Bypass and Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2013-0625) Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTAdobe ColdFusion versions 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 when an administrator password is not configured
Remote attackers can bypass authentication, gain administrative access, and potentially execute arbitrary code to compromise the server
Apply the official Adobe security patch (APSB13-03), enforce strong administrator passwords, and restrict external access to the admin console
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
It is highly recommended to upgrade to a supported version of ColdFusion or apply the official APSB13-03 hotfix. For legacy environments, apply the patch manually and restart the service as follows:
# Stop the ColdFusion service (Linux example)
/opt/coldfusion9/bin/coldfusion stop
# Copy the official hotfix jar file to the updates directory
# Note: Ensure you use the correct hotfix file corresponding to your version
cp chf9010004.jar /opt/coldfusion9/lib/updates/
# Restart the ColdFusion service
/opt/coldfusion9/bin/coldfusion start2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be applied immediately, restrict access to the ColdFusion Administrator directory (/CFIDE/administrator) at the web server level (e.g., Nginx or Apache).
# Restrict access to the Administrator console in Nginx configuration
server {
listen 80;
server_name localhost;
location /CFIDE/administrator {
allow 127.0.0.1;
allow 10.0.0.0/8; # Trusted internal admin network
deny all;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Inspect web server access logs and the ColdFusion directory for unauthorized access attempts and suspicious file creations.
# Check for external POST requests to the Administrator console
grep -E 'POST /CFIDE/administrator/' /var/log/httpd/access_log | grep -v '127.0.0.1'
# Scan the CFIDE directory for recently modified or newly created .cfm files (potential webshells)
find /opt/coldfusion9/wwwroot/CFIDE -name '*.cfm' -mtime -30Block Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
Can't patch production immediately? Deploy managed WAF rules at the edge to intercept RCE, SQLi, and deserialization payloads before they hit your origin server.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2013-0625) is a critical authentication bypass flaw in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2. The root cause lies in a design flaw (CWE-287) where the application fails to properly validate authentication requests when the administrator password has not been explicitly configured or is left blank during setup.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the ColdFusion Administrator console (/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm). Since no password is set, the authentication mechanism permits access, granting the attacker full administrative privileges. Once authenticated, the attacker can leverage built-in administrative features, such as 'Scheduled Tasks' or file upload capabilities, to write malicious CFM scripts (webshells) to the web root and execute them, achieving Remote Code Execution (RCE).
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild (listed in CISA KEV) and carries an extremely high EPSS score of 0.9376, indicating a severe threat level. Successful exploitation allows complete takeover of the underlying server, leading to potential database credential theft, lateral movement within the internal network, and deployment of ransomware.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Adobe ColdFusion 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2, when a password is not configured, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in January 2013.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2013-0625)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2013-0625 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2013-0625 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 93.8%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2013-0625?
Primary impacted vendors include adobe across coldfusion. Scope summary: Adobe ColdFusion versions 9.0, 9.0.1, and 9.0.2 (environments with unconfigured administrator passwords)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2013-0625 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official Adobe security patch (APSB13-03), enforce strong administrator passwords, and restrict external access to the admin console Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2013-0625
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
🔗 Related Advisories in Similar Stack (adobe)
View Category →Adobe ColdFusion Path Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Urgent Advisory (CVE-2026-48282)
[Affected Scope] Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier
Adobe Commerce (Magento) Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) Remote Code Execution (CVE-2026-75650)
[Affected Scope] All unpatched versions of Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) Unrestricted File Upload Vulnerability (CVE-2026-48356) - Critical RCE Advisory
[Affected Scope] All versions of Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source prior to APSB26-73.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) Critical Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Advisory (CVE-2026-71362)
[Affected Scope] All versions of Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source (2.4.7 and earlier)
Subscribe to Daily Vulnerability Briefings & KEV Alerts
Concise morning briefings for SecOps, DevSecOps, and SRE teams covering newly exploited CVEs and mitigation priorities.