CVE-2026-105994: ColdFusion Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-105994 Overview

Adobe ColdFusion contains an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability [CWE-863] that allows a low-privileged attacker to bypass security controls and gain unauthorized write access. The flaw is exploitable over the network without user interaction and results in a changed scope, meaning the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component. Adobe disclosed the issue in security bulletin APSB26-144.

Critical Impact

An authenticated attacker with low privileges can bypass authorization checks on ColdFusion to perform unauthorized write operations, potentially affecting resources outside the application's security boundary.

Affected Products

• Adobe ColdFusion (versions listed in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB26-144)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-10-13 - CVE-2026-105994 published to NVD
• 2026-10-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-105994

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization). ColdFusion performs an authorization check, but the check does not correctly enforce the intended policy. A low-privileged authenticated user can submit requests that should be rejected but are instead accepted and executed with elevated effective permissions.

The scope change indicates that successful exploitation affects resources managed by a security authority other than the vulnerable component. In practical terms, an attacker constrained to a limited ColdFusion role can write to assets they should not be able to touch, including configuration or administrative resources.

The integrity impact is high while confidentiality and availability are not directly affected. This profile aligns with authorization-bypass primitives that enable unauthorized modification rather than data disclosure or service disruption.

Root Cause

The root cause is an incomplete or incorrect authorization decision in ColdFusion's access control logic. The server grants write operations without validating that the authenticated principal holds the required permission for the targeted resource. Adobe has not published implementation specifics beyond the APSB26-144 advisory.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the ColdFusion server and valid low-privileged credentials. The attacker issues crafted requests to endpoints that should enforce stricter authorization. No user interaction and no elevated privileges are needed. Because the flaw lives in server-side authorization logic, exploitation does not depend on client-side state or social engineering.

For technical specifics and affected version ranges, refer to the Adobe ColdFusion Security Bulletin APSB26-144.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-105994

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected write operations (file creation, configuration changes, administrative actions) performed by accounts with low-privileged ColdFusion roles.
• HTTP requests to administrative or privileged ColdFusion endpoints originating from sessions that should lack access.
• New or modified .cfm, .cfc, or configuration files on the ColdFusion server with no corresponding change ticket.
• Anomalous outbound connections from the ColdFusion process following suspicious authenticated requests.

Detection Strategies

• Correlate ColdFusion application logs with authentication records to identify low-privileged users performing write actions.
• Baseline normal API and admin endpoint usage per role, then alert on deviations where restricted operations succeed for unprivileged users.
• Monitor file integrity on web roots and ColdFusion configuration directories for unauthorized modifications.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward ColdFusion access logs, authentication logs, and OS-level file integrity events to a centralized analytics platform for correlation.
• Alert on HTTP responses that indicate successful privileged operations (200/201) following requests from accounts flagged as low-privileged.
• Track process lineage from coldfusion.exe or jrun/tomcat workers to catch secondary execution following authorization bypass.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-105994

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the Adobe ColdFusion update referenced in APSB26-144 to all affected instances.
• Audit ColdFusion user accounts and remove or disable unused low-privileged accounts that could be leveraged for exploitation.
• Restrict network exposure of ColdFusion administrative interfaces to trusted management networks only.
• Review recent write operations and configuration changes for signs of exploitation before patching.

Patch Information

Adobe has released fixed versions as documented in security bulletin APSB26-144. Administrators should consult the Adobe ColdFusion Security Bulletin for the exact fixed build numbers that correspond to each supported ColdFusion release train and apply the appropriate update.

Workarounds

• Place ColdFusion servers behind a web application firewall configured to block requests to administrative endpoints from untrusted sources.
• Enforce least privilege on ColdFusion application accounts and segment the server from sensitive internal resources.
• Require multi-factor authentication on upstream identity providers used to access ColdFusion applications where feasible.

# Example: restrict ColdFusion administrator access by source IP in a reverse proxy
# nginx snippet - replace trusted-net with your management CIDR
location /CFIDE/administrator/ {
    allow 10.10.0.0/24;   # trusted-net
    deny  all;
    proxy_pass http://coldfusion_backend;
}