Adobe ColdFusion Improper Access Control Vulnerability (CVE-2024-20767) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTAdobe ColdFusion 2023 Update 6 and earlier, and ColdFusion 2021 Update 12 and earlier
Unauthenticated attackers can bypass access controls to read or modify arbitrary files on the host system, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data
Apply the official Adobe APSB24-14 security patch immediately and restrict external internet access to the ColdFusion administrator panel
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official security updates provided by Adobe (APSB24-14) via the ColdFusion Administrator console or command-line tools.
# Navigate to the ColdFusion bin directory and execute the update utility
cd /opt/coldfusion2023/cfusion/bin
./cfshare -update2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict access to the ColdFusion Administrator interface (/cfadmin and /CFIDE) at the web server or reverse proxy level.
# Nginx configuration to restrict access to the ColdFusion Administrator panel
server {
listen 80;
server_name your-coldfusion-domain.com;
# Restrict access to administrative endpoints to internal networks only
location /cfadmin {
allow 10.0.0.0/8;
allow 192.168.0.0/16;
deny all;
}
location /CFIDE {
allow 10.0.0.0/8;
deny all;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Inspect ColdFusion access logs for unauthorized access attempts to administrative directories or sensitive configuration files.
# Search access logs for suspicious requests targeting administrative paths or XML configuration files
grep -Ei '(/cfadmin|/CFIDE|neo-datasource.xml|web.xml)' /opt/coldfusion2023/cfusion/logs/access.logBlock Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2024-20767) stems from an Improper Access Control (CWE-284) flaw within Adobe ColdFusion. Due to insufficient validation of access privileges on specific internal endpoints, unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass security boundaries to access restricted system resources.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
Exploitation of this vulnerability requires the ColdFusion administrator panel to be exposed to the internet. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests targeting the vulnerable endpoints to read arbitrary files from the server's file system without requiring any user interaction. This allows the retrieval of sensitive configuration files, such as database credentials and application source code.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in the CISA KEV catalog. With an EPSS score of 0.9851, the likelihood of exploitation attempts is extremely high. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and subsequent lateral movement or remote code execution (RCE) within the enterprise network.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
ColdFusion versions 2023.6, 2021.12 and earlier are affected by an Improper Access Control vulnerability that could result in arbitrary file system read. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to access or modify restricted files. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Exploitation of this issue requires the admin panel be exposed to the internet.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2024-20767)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2024-20767 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2024-20767 is rated CVSS 7.4 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 98.5%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2024-20767?
Primary impacted vendors include adobe across coldfusion. Scope summary: Adobe ColdFusion 2023 (Update 6 and earlier), Adobe ColdFusion 2021 (Update 12 and earlier)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2024-20767 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official Adobe APSB24-14 security patch immediately and restrict external internet access to the ColdFusion administrator panel 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-2024-20767
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