CVE-2018-15961 Adobe ColdFusion: dangerous file upload
In plain words: The program accepts files it should refuse, such as programs disguised as ordinary uploads. The attacker can place and run their own tools on the server.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install Adobe's security update for ColdFusion. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Adobe ColdFusion Unrestricted File Upload Vulnerability
- Product
- Adobe ColdFusion
- CISA description
- Adobe ColdFusion contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability that could allow for code execution.
- Type of flaw
- Dangerous file upload (CWE-434)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2018-15961 ·
Questions about CVE-2018-15961
Is CVE-2018-15961 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2018-15961 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2018-15961?
Install Adobe's security update for ColdFusion. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2018-15961?
Only if you use Adobe ColdFusion. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.