CVE-2010-2861

CVE-2010-2861: Adobe ColdFusion Administrator Console Directory Traversal

AI-generated analysis based on the vulnerability data on this page.

Summary

Adobe ColdFusion 9.0.1 and earlier versions contain multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in the administrator console. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit these flaws by manipulating the locale parameter across several CFM endpoints to read arbitrary files from the underlying file system, including sensitive configuration files and source code.

Background

Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web-application development platform. The administrator console (/CFIDE/administrator/) provides a web-based interface for managing server settings, data sources, logging, and J2EE packaging. Prior to the fix, several administrative CFM scripts accepted a locale parameter without proper validation, allowing directory traversal sequences to escape intended paths.

Root Cause — CWE-22

The vulnerability falls under CWE-22: Path Traversal. The affected CFM scripts passed user-supplied locale values directly into file-path construction logic without:

• Input sanitization or whitelist validation
• Canonicalization of pathnames
• Restriction to a predefined set of locale directories

By injecting traversal sequences such as ../../../, an attacker could break out of the intended locale directory and access files anywhere on the server's file system that the ColdFusion process had permissions to read.

Impact

The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 (Critical) reflects the trivial exploitability and severe confidentiality impact. The high EPSS score (0.99721) and inclusion in CISA's KEV catalog confirm active, widespread exploitation in the wild.

Exploitation Walkthrough (Defensive Perspective)

Ethics caveat: The following description is provided for defenders to understand attack surface and detection patterns. No weaponized exploit code is included.

1. Reconnaissance: The attacker identifies a ColdFusion instance with an exposed /CFIDE/administrator/ path.
2. Endpoint enumeration: The attacker probes the known vulnerable endpoints:
   • CFIDE/administrator/settings/mappings.cfm
   • CFIDE/administrator/logging/settings.cfm
   • CFIDE/administrator/datasources/index.cfm
   • CFIDE/administrator/j2eepackaging/editarchive.cfm
   • CFIDE/administrator/enter.cfm
3. Parameter injection: The attacker sends an HTTP GET or POST request with a malicious locale parameter containing directory traversal sequences (e.g., locale=../../../ followed by a target file path).
4. File disclosure: If the server responds with the contents of the requested file (e.g., neo-datasource.xml, password.properties, or OS files such as /etc/passwd), the target is confirmed vulnerable.

Defenders should monitor for unusual locale parameter values containing ../, %2e%2e%2f, or absolute path strings in requests to the CFIDE administrator paths.

Affected and Patched Versions

The exact patched version details were not available in the source data; administrators should consult the official Adobe bulletin to confirm their installed version is no longer vulnerable.

Remediation

1. Apply the vendor patch: Install the hotfix referenced in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-18.
2. Restrict access: Block or restrict access to /CFIDE/administrator/ at the network level (firewall, IP whitelist, or reverse-proxy rules). The administrator console should never be exposed to untrusted networks.
3. Input validation: If custom locale-handling code exists, enforce strict whitelist validation against a known set of locale identifiers and reject any path traversal patterns.
4. File system permissions: Ensure the ColdFusion service account runs with least-privilege permissions, limiting the scope of files that could be disclosed even if traversal occurs.

Detection

• WAF signatures: Deploy rules that inspect the locale parameter on CFIDE administrator endpoints for ../, encoded traversal sequences, or absolute paths.
• Log analysis: Monitor web server and application logs for requests to the five known vulnerable endpoints with anomalous locale values.
• File integrity monitoring: Alert on unexpected access to sensitive ColdFusion configuration files (neo-*.xml, password.properties, jrun.xml).
• Honeypot/honeyfile: Place a canary file in a predictable location and monitor for access patterns matching traversal attempts.

Assessment

Despite being disclosed in 2010, CVE-2010-2861 remains a high-priority risk due to its inclusion in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and an EPSS score approaching unity. The trivial network-accessible, unauthenticated attack vector makes it a reliable target for opportunistic and targeted threat actors alike.

Key lessons:

1. Administrative interfaces are high-value targets. Exposing /CFIDE/administrator/ to the public internet continues to be a common misconfiguration that amplifies the impact of bugs like this.
2. Old vulnerabilities do not age out. A 2010 flaw actively exploited since 2022 demonstrates that attackers regularly scan for and exploit legacy software. Patch latency and exposure management matter more than disclosure date.

References

• http://securityreason.com/securityalert/8137
• http://securityreason.com/securityalert/8148
• http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb10-18.html
• http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/coldfusion-directory-traversal-faq-cve-2010-2861/
• http://www.procheckup.com/vulnerability_manager/vulnerabilities/pr10-07
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2010-2861