Overview
The CVE-2025-43565 is a critical security vulnerability found in multiple versions of ColdFusion, a popular web application development platform. This exploit is categorized as an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability, which can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The gravity of this issue lies in the potential for a high-privileged attacker to bypass security protections, execute code, and compromise the system or leak sensitive data. Due to the severity of the potential repercussions, understanding and mitigating this vulnerability is paramount for any organization utilizing affected versions of ColdFusion.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-43565
Severity: High, CVSS score 8.4
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
ColdFusion | 2025.1, 2023.13, 2021.19 and earlier
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from an issue in the authorization mechanism of the affected ColdFusion versions. An attacker with high-level privileges can manipulate this flaw to bypass security protections and execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user. Exploitation of this vulnerability, however, requires some form of user interaction. This could involve tricking a user into clicking a malicious link or opening a compromised email, which would then initiate the unauthorized actions.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This is a hypothetical HTTP request, which includes a malicious payload designed to exploit the vulnerability:
POST /vulnerable/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "malicious_payload": "<script>arbitrary_code_here</script>" }In this example, the “arbitrary_code_here” would be replaced with the actual code that the attacker intends to execute on the server, leading to potential system compromise or data leakage.
Mitigation and Remediation
The best course of action to mitigate this vulnerability is to apply the latest patches provided by the vendor. If the latest patch can’t be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation measure. These tools can help detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability, although they should not be considered a long-term solution. Regular patching and system updates remain the most effective defense against vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-43565.