Adobe ColdFusion: 16 Vulnerabilities Including Critical RCE and Auth Bypass Patched Together
Adobe patched 16 vulnerabilities in ColdFusion, including critical OS command injection and authorization bypass flaws, on August 11, 2026.
Key findings
- Adobe ColdFusion patched 16 vulnerabilities on August 11, 2026, including critical flaws.
- Critical OS Command Injection (CVE-2026-48362) allows arbitrary code execution with a CVSS score of 10.0.
- Critical Incorrect Authorization (CVE-2026-71384) enables security bypass and potential denial-of-service.
- Multiple high-severity vulnerabilities include buffer overflows, cryptographic weaknesses, and privilege escalation flaws.
- The batch includes OS command injection, XSS, and authorization bypass vulnerabilities, impacting various security aspects.
- Prompt patching is advised for all affected ColdFusion versions to mitigate exploitation risks.
On August 11, 2026, Adobe released a significant security update addressing 16 vulnerabilities in its ColdFusion application server. The batch of disclosures, all published within a two-minute window, includes critical and high-severity flaws that could lead to arbitrary code execution, security feature bypass, and denial-of-service conditions. This coordinated disclosure highlights a pressing need for ColdFusion administrators to apply patches promptly to protect their environments.
Several vulnerabilities center on authorization and input validation weaknesses. CVE-2026-71384, a critical Incorrect Authorization vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.6, could allow an attacker to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized read and write access, potentially leading to a denial-of-service. Similarly, CVE-2026-21273, a high-severity Improper Input Validation flaw, could enable privilege escalation, allowing a low-privileged attacker to gain unauthorized read and write access, though it requires user interaction through a malicious file. CVE-2026-48375, another Incorrect Authorization vulnerability, also poses a denial-of-service risk.
Command injection vulnerabilities are also prominent in this batch. CVE-2026-48362, a critical OS Command Injection flaw with a perfect CVSS score of 10.0, presents the most severe risk, allowing for arbitrary code execution. Another OS Command Injection vulnerability, CVE-2026-48385, rated high, could allow a low-privileged attacker to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized write access.
Other notable vulnerabilities include a Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CVE-2026-48440) and a Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm (CVE-2026-48386), both rated high. A stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability, CVE-2026-21269, was also disclosed, which could be abused by a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious scripts.
Adobe has released patches for all these vulnerabilities. Administrators are urged to consult Adobe's security advisories and apply the necessary updates to secure their ColdFusion deployments. The swift disclosure and patching cycle underscore the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of timely vulnerability management.
This extensive batch of vulnerabilities, particularly the critical OS command injection and incorrect authorization flaws, presents a significant risk to ColdFusion environments. Prompt patching is essential to mitigate the potential for widespread compromise and data breaches. Users should ensure they are running updated versions of ColdFusion to benefit from these security enhancements.
Key vulnerabilities include:
- Critical OS Command Injection (CVE-2026-48362) with a CVSS score of 10.0.
- Critical Incorrect Authorization (CVE-2026-71384) allowing security bypass and potential DoS.
- Multiple High-severity Incorrect Authorization and Improper Input Validation flaws.
- A Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CVE-2026-48440) and cryptographic algorithm weaknesses.
- A stored XSS vulnerability (CVE-2026-21269) impacting form fields.
- All 16 vulnerabilities were patched by Adobe on August 11, 2026.