CVE-2004-2204
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedMacromedia ColdFusion MX 6.0 and 6.1 application server, when running with the CreateObject function or CFOBJECT tag enabled, allows local users to conduct unauthorized activities and obtain administrative passwords by creating CFML scripts that use CreateObject or CFOBJECT.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceColdFusion MX 6.0 and 6.1 with CreateObject function or CFOBJECT tag enabled allows local users to create malicious CFML scripts that can perform unauthorized activities and obtain administrative passwords, effectively enabling local privilege escalation.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 6.0= 6.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify ColdFusion installation and versionCheck the ColdFusion installation directory or registry for the installed version number. Look for version indicators in the product name or version files (e.g., check for 'ColdFusion MX 6.0' or 'ColdFusion MX 6.1' in installed program files or registry keys under the Macromedia or Adobe ColdFusion registry entries).Affected if The installed version is exactly 6.0 or 6.1 (matches = 6.0 or = 6.1)
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Verify CreateObject function is availableAttempt to invoke the CreateObject function in a test CFML page or check the ColdFusion Administrator settings for Java/COM object creation privileges. Review the cfconfig.xml or registry for CreateObject enablement settings.Affected if CreateObject function is enabled and accessible to users (not explicitly disabled in ColdFusion Administrator)
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Verify CFOBJECT tag is enabledCheck the ColdFusion Administrator settings for CFOBJECT tag permissions, or attempt to use the CFOBJECT tag in a test CFML page. Review security settings in the ColdFusion Administrator console under Java/COM settings.Affected if CFOBJECT tag is enabled and permitted for use (not disabled in security settings)
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Confirm user access to CFML script creationDetermine if standard users have write access to directories where CFML scripts can be placed (such as web root, custom tag paths, or any directory mapped as a ColdFusion template path). Check file system permissions on the web root or cfmx directories.Affected if Local users can write .cfm files to directories that ColdFusion processes as templates
A user is affected if ColdFusion MX 6.0 or 6.1 is installed AND either CreateObject function or CFOBJECT tag is enabled, AND local users can create or modify CFML files in web-accessible directories.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataDisable the CreateObject function and CFOBJECT tag if not required, or migrate to a supported ColdFusion version as these extremely outdated versions (2004 era) are no longer supported and contain known security flaws.
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,448.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2004-2204 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2004-2204 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data