CVE-2025-61811: 
Adobe ColdFusion vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-61811 is an Improper Access Control (CWE-284) and Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion that allows a high-privileged remote attacker to bypass security measures and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Affected versions include ColdFusion 2021 (Update 22 and earlier), 2023 (Update 16 and earlier), and 2025 (Update 4 and earlier). The vulnerability was disclosed by Adobe on December 9, 2025, as part of security bulletin APSB25-105. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical), assigned by Adobe, with scope changed and no user interaction required (Adobe Advisory, NVD).

The vulnerability is rooted in improper access control (CWE-284) combined with path traversal weaknesses (CWE-22), enabling an attacker to navigate outside restricted directories and execute malicious code. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, requiring high privileges (e.g., administrative access to the ColdFusion administrator interface) but no user interaction. The changed scope indicates that a successful exploit can impact resources beyond the vulnerable component itself. Adobe updated the CWE classification from CWE-284 to CWE-22 on December 16, 2025, suggesting the underlying mechanism involves improper path restriction that allows security control bypass (Adobe Advisory, NVD).

Successful exploitation allows a high-privileged attacker to execute arbitrary code within the ColdFusion application context, with full impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The changed scope means the attacker may be able to affect resources beyond the ColdFusion instance itself, potentially enabling lateral movement within the hosting environment. Sensitive data stored or accessible by the ColdFusion server — including application data, credentials, and configuration files — could be exposed or manipulated (Adobe Advisory, NVD).

As of the time of disclosure, there is no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation (Feedly). The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. The EPSS score is approximately 0.354%, indicating a currently low probability of exploitation in the near term. Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities, though the critical CVSS score reflects the severity of impact if those privileges are obtained (Adobe Advisory).

Adobe has released patches addressing this vulnerability in security bulletin APSB25-105. Administrators should update to ColdFusion 2021 Update 23 or later, ColdFusion 2023 Update 17 or later, or ColdFusion 2025 Update 5 or later. As additional hardening measures, organizations should restrict administrative interface access to trusted IP ranges, enforce least-privilege principles for ColdFusion service accounts, and monitor for unauthorized code execution or unusual file access patterns. Conducting a comprehensive security review of the ColdFusion environment is also recommended (Adobe Advisory).

The vulnerability was covered in Sophos's December 2025 Patch Tuesday roundup, which highlighted it among notable Adobe product patches (Sophos Blog). The Center for Internet Security (CIS) issued an advisory noting that multiple Adobe vulnerabilities patched in December 2025 could allow arbitrary code execution (CIS Advisory). CISA included the vulnerability in its weekly bulletin (SB25-349), and Fortress SRM flagged it in its December 2025 threat and security update. Community reaction has been measured given the high-privilege requirement, with no significant researcher commentary or weaponization reports observed.