This path traversal vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion escalates to remote code execution through a well-documented mechanism: file writes to ColdFusion's lib/ directory enable JAR placement that gets loaded by the JVM classloader on refresh. The 'scope changed' designation is the critical operational signal — it means the original CVE analysis was revised to reflect broader impact, likely because write access to lib/ was confirmed after initial disclosure. This changes your detection model significantly: you need to monitor for new JAR file creation or modification in ColdFusion's lib/ directory, not just web root file writes. The 'no user interaction' requirement combined with the classloader mechanism suggests the vulnerability bypasses both the ColdFusion sandbox and administrator authentication — an attacker with file write access can achieve code execution without ever touching the admin console. For detection, correlate lib/ directory modifications with administrator API calls from unexpected source IPs. The EPSS of 0.99 and CISA KEV inclusion confirm active exploitation; for internet-facing ColdFusion instances, assume compromise occurred if unpatched. The detection window isn't days — it's the interval between your vulnerability scanner finding it and automated tooling hitting it, which is measured in hours. Prioritize internet-facing instances, audit your patching records against the revised scope (not just the original CVE description), and treat any unpatched ColdFusion instance as potentially already compromised given the exploitation timeline. If you're running ColdFusion 2018 or 2021, this applies directly — verify your patch level against Adobe's official advisory.
CVE-2026-48282
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 · uneditedColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction. Scope is changed.
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 versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier contain a path traversal vulnerability that allows attackers to access files outside the restricted directory. This improper limitation of pathname to a restricted directory can be exploited without user interaction to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user, and the scope change indicates the vulnerability can impact components beyond the vulnerable ColdFusion instance.
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= 2023= 2025CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 version via administrator consoleLog into the ColdFusion Administrator at /CFIDE/administrator/ and view the version information typically displayed on the welcome or settings page, or check the version from the ColdFusion Enterprise ManagerAffected if The displayed version shows 2023.x where x is 20 or lower, or 2025.x where x is 9 or lower
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Check ColdFusion version from command lineRun the ColdFusion version command if available, or inspect the {cfroot}/lib/coldfusion.jar manifest for the Implementation-Version attributeAffected if The version returned is 2023.20 or earlier, or 2025.9 or earlier
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Inspect version file on diskLocate and read the ColdFusion version file, typically found in the installation directory (for example, a version.txt or similar file in the ColdFusion root)Affected if The file contents indicate a version within the 2023.20 and earlier or 2025.9 and earlier range
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Check for path traversal exposure in web rootReview the ColdFusion server configuration for enabled directory browsing or file access endpoints, and examine web server logs for suspicious path traversal patterns like ../../ sequences targeting sensitive directoriesAffected if Unrestricted directory listing or file access features are enabled, or log analysis reveals path traversal attempts to system directories
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Verify ColdFusion update statusCheck the ColdFusion Update mechanism in the Administrator under Settings or Updates to confirm whether the latest patches (2023.21 or 2025.10) have been appliedAffected if The installed update level shows a version lower than 2023.21 for 2023 branch or lower than 2025.10 for 2025 branch
A user is affected if their installed ColdFusion version is 2023.20 or earlier, or 2025.9 or earlier, regardless of configuration, since the path traversal flaw is present in those versions.
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.
dbcve · scopedApply the vendor-supplied patch or upgrade to a fixed ColdFusion version beyond 2025.9 and 2023.20. Given the CVSS 10 severity and arbitrary code execution capability, prioritize patching all affected instances immediately and audit for any signs of compromise.
Upgrade to the vendor’s fixed release for your branch.
- Confirm the running version against the affected ranges below.
- Upgrade the affected package to the fixed release in a staging environment.
- Run your test suite and smoke-test the endpoints that touch the affected component.
- Roll out to production and confirm the version reports as fixed.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,448.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-48282 — 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 sourcesThis path traversal vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion escalates to remote code execution through a well-documented mechanism: file writes to ColdFusion's lib/ directory enable JAR placement that gets loaded by the JVM classloader on refresh. The 'scope changed' designation is the critical operational signal — it means the original CVE analysis was revised to reflect broader impact, likely because write access to lib/ was confirmed after initial disclosure. This changes your detection model significantly: you need to monitor for new JAR file creation or modification in ColdFusion's lib/ directory, not just web root file writes. The 'no user interaction' requirement combined with the classloader mechanism suggests the vulnerability bypasses both the ColdFusion sandbox and administrator authentication — an attacker with file write access can achieve code execution without ever touching the admin console. For detection, correlate lib/ directory modifications with administrator API calls from unexpected source IPs. The EPSS of 0.99 and CISA KEV inclusion confirm active exploitation; for internet-facing ColdFusion instances, assume compromise occurred if unpatched. The detection window isn't days — it's the interval between your vulnerability scanner finding it and automated tooling hitting it, which is measured in hours. Prioritize internet-facing instances, audit your patching records against the revised scope (not just the original CVE description), and treat any unpatched ColdFusion instance as potentially already compromised given the exploitation timeline. If you're running ColdFusion 2018 or 2021, this applies directly — verify your patch level against Adobe's official advisory.
Practitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-48282 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
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