CVE-2026-106618

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-106618 is an Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) vulnerability affecting ColdFusion that enables a low-privileged attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. The flaw requires local access with low privileges and no user interaction, but scores a high severity of 8.8 due to a changed scope and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Organizations running affected ColdFusion deployments should treat this as a priority risk given the absence of a vendor patch and confirmed KEV status being negative.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), meaning the affected application performs an authorization check but does so improperly — either validating the wrong subject, evaluating the check at the wrong point in execution, or applying an insufficient permission model. In practice, this allows a principal with low privileges to perform actions that should require elevated permissions.

The specific product context is ColdFusion, an enterprise Java-based application server platform historically deployed to host dynamic, database-driven web applications. ColdFusion frequently runs web-facing administrative interfaces, exposed service endpoints, and scheduled task execution components — all of which are authorization-sensitive surfaces. An incorrect authorization check on any such surface can permit a low-privileged caller to invoke functionality intended for administrators.

The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H indicates:

• AV:L (Local) — the attack vector is local, meaning the attacker requires local access to the target host or the vulnerable component (e.g., an authenticated session or local process context) rather than purely remote network reachability.
• AC:L (Low) — no special conditions or race conditions are required to exploit.
• PR:L (Low) — the attacker needs only low privileges to trigger the flaw.
• UI:N (None) — no victim interaction is required.
• S:C (Changed) — a successful exploit crosses a security boundary, indicating that compromise can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component's original authorization scope.
• C:H / I:H / A:H — full loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability is possible, consistent with arbitrary code execution capability.

The changed scope combined with the high CIA impact and low complexity makes this a serious post-authentication or local privilege escalation-style flaw. The "Scope Changed" metric is notable because it indicates the vulnerable component's boundary is crossed: an attacker with limited privileges can affect resources outside the defined authorization context, aligning with the described arbitrary code execution outcome.

Attack surface considerations for ColdFusion in this vulnerability class include administrative consoles, exposed web services, scheduled task endpoints, and any authenticated service interface where the authorization logic is improperly implemented. Because the CVSS base is Local with Low privileges required, a typical exploitation precondition is that the attacker already has some foothold — a valid low-privileged session, a local shell, or reachability to a locally-exposed service — which they then escalate to code execution.

No public PoC, Nuclei template, or exploit code has been identified as of the time of writing. Insufficient technical detail is available from the CNA/NVD description to identify the exact function name, endpoint, or parameter responsible for the improper authorization check; the analysis above operates at the vulnerability-class level.

Exploitation Scenarios

No public PoC is available for this vulnerability; the exploitation chain below is inferred from the vulnerability class (CWE-863, Incorrect Authorization) and the CVSS vector.

1. Reconnaissance and target identification. The attacker identifies a ColdFusion host in scope. Because the attack vector is Local with low privileges required, the primary reconnaissance focus is on establishing or obtaining a low-privileged foothold — a valid low-privileged session, local access to the host, or reachability to a locally-exposed service. Enumeration of the ColdFusion installation and the services it exposes is performed.

2. Triggering the improper authorization condition. The attacker sends a request, invokes an action, or submits input to the affected authorization-sensitive component using a low-privileged principal. Because the authorization check is incorrectly implemented, the request is not properly validated against the required permission level, and the attacker's low-privileged principal is allowed to perform an action that should have been denied.

3. Payload execution. By crossing the improperly enforced authorization boundary (CVSS Scope: Changed), the attacker is able to reach functionality or resources outside the intended authorization context. This translates into the ability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user, as described by NVD. The exact mechanism by which the authorization bypass leads to code execution is not specified in the available description and should not be assumed.

4. Post-exploitation impact. Arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user, combined with the changed security scope and full CIA impact scores, allows the attacker to read and modify application data, move laterally within resources exposed to the compromised context, and disrupt availability. The precise post-exploitation reach depends on the privileges of the account under which the ColdFusion component executes.

Because the CVSS vector requires Low privileges and No user interaction, the practical barrier to exploitation is obtaining a low-privileged foothold — not persuading a victim to act. This raises the risk profile for any ColdFusion deployment that exposes authorization-sensitive functionality to low-privileged principals.

Impact Assessment

The flaw is high severity (CVSS 8.8). The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are each rated High, reflecting that arbitrary code execution in the current user context gives the attacker broad control over data and services. The Changed scope (S:C) elevates the risk beyond the single vulnerable component, meaning compromise is not contained to the ColdFusion authorization boundary.

Business impact centers on enterprise web applications, integration middleware, and API services built on ColdFusion — commonly found in regulated industries including financial services, healthcare, and government. If the ColdFusion process runs with elevated service-account privileges, arbitrary code execution could expose the underlying host, downstream database connections, and adjacent internal systems. Because exploitation requires only low privileges and no user interaction, a single low-privileged foothold can be escalated, increasing the blast radius.

No EPSS score is available at the time of writing, and CVE is not listed in CISA KEV. No known in-the-wild exploitation or threat actor campaign has been confirmed.

Detection Guidance

Sigma Rule

title: Suspicious ColdFusion Authorization Bypass and Code Execution Activity
id: 3f8c9a2e-6b41-4f2d-9c8a-7d1e5b3a0f92
status: experimental
description: Detects anomalous ColdFusion process activity potentially exploiting CVE-2026-106618 (Incorrect Authorization leading to arbitrary code execution)
references:
  - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-106618
author: valtersit.com
date: 2026/01/01
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_parent:
    ParentImage|endswith:
      - '\java.exe'
      - '\jrun.exe'
      - '\coldfusion.exe'
  selection_child:
    Image|endswith:
      - '\cmd.exe'
      - '\powershell.exe'
      - '\wscript.exe'
      - '\cscript.exe'
      - '/bin/sh'
      - '/bin/bash'
  condition: selection_parent and selection_child
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate ColdFusion administrative or scheduled tasks that spawn shells
level: high
tags:
  - attack.t1190
  - attack.execution

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2026_106618_ColdFusion_AuthBypass_CodeExec
{
    meta:
        description = "Detects suspicious ColdFusion artifacts consistent with CVE-2026-106618 incorrect-authorization code execution"
        reference = "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-106618"
        author = "valtersit.com"
        date = "2026-01-01"
        severity = "high"

    strings:
        $cf1 = "ColdFusion" ascii wide nocase
        $cf2 = "CFIDE" ascii wide nocase
        $cf3 = "cfusion" ascii wide nocase
        $exec1 = "java.lang.Runtime" ascii wide
        $exec2 = "ProcessBuilder" ascii wide
        $exec3 = "getRuntime().exec" ascii wide

    condition:
        uint16(0) == 0x4D5A or uint32(0) == 0x464C457F
        or (2 of ($cf*) and any of ($exec*))
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2026-106618 ColdFusion Incorrect Authorization Attempt"; flow:to_server,established; http.uri; content:"/CFIDE/"; nocase; http.user_agent; content:"ColdFusion"; nocase; threshold:type limit, track by_src, count 5, seconds 60; classtype:attempted-admin; reference:cve,2026-106618; reference:url,nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-106618; sid:2026106618; rev:1;)

Elastic Detection

process where event.type == "start" and
  process.parent.name in ("java", "jrun", "coldfusion") and
  process.name in ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "wscript.exe", "cscript.exe", "sh", "bash")

Splunk SPL Query

index=* (source="WinEventLog:Security" OR source="linux:syslog")
| search (ParentImage="*\\java.exe" OR ParentImage="*\\jrun.exe" OR ParentImage="*\\coldfusion.exe")
  AND (Image="*\\cmd.exe" OR Image="*\\powershell.exe" OR Image="*/bin/sh" OR Image="*/bin/bash")
| stats count min(_time) as first_seen max(_time) as last_seen by host, Image, ParentImage, User
| where count > 0
| sort - count

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="coldfusion,">
  <rule id="2026106" level="12">
    <if_sid>5925</if_sid>
    <field name="win.eventdata.parentImage">java.exe|coldfusion.exe|jrun.exe</field>
    <field name="win.eventdata.image">cmd.exe|powershell.exe|wscript.exe|cscript.exe</field>
    <description>CVE-2026-106618: Suspicious child process spawned by ColdFusion — possible incorrect authorization code execution</description>
    <mitre>
      <id>T1190</id>
    </mitre>
    <group>coldfusion,cve_2026_106618,</group>
  </rule>
</group>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch confidence: 0/4 (UNPATCHED — no patch evidence from any tracked source). No vendor fix, workaround, or affected-version range has been published through tracked sources. Treat all ColdFusion deployments as potentially affected until vendor confirmation is available.

1. Immediate mitigations.

   • Restrict local and network access to ColdFusion administrative and service interfaces to trusted administrative hosts only.
   • Enforce least privilege on accounts that can interact with the ColdFusion service; remove or reduce low-privileged access to authorization-sensitive endpoints.
   • Run the ColdFusion service under a dedicated, minimally-privileged OS account (not SYSTEM/root) to constrain post-exploitation reach.
   • Enable detailed audit logging on ColdFusion and the underlying host, and alert on anomalous child processes spawned by the ColdFusion/Java process.
   • Monitor vendor channels for a patch and apply it as soon as released.

2. Patch/upgrade steps.

   • No patch is currently available. Monitor the vendor (Adobe ColdFusion) security bulletin page and the NVD entry for CVE-2026-106618 for patch availability.
   • Once a fixed build is released, apply it to all ColdFusion instances, prioritizing internet- or intranet-exposed administrative interfaces.
   • Validate the update in a staging environment before production rollout; verify the fixed build number against the vendor advisory.

3. Long-term hardening.

   • Implement network segmentation so ColdFusion servers cannot be reached directly from untrusted segments.
   • Adopt an allowlisting model for processes that may be spawned by the ColdFusion service account.
   • Periodically audit authorization logic and permission boundaries in custom ColdFusion applications.
   • Maintain an inventory of ColdFusion versions and map them to vendor advisories to shorten exposure windows for future vulnerabilities.

References

• NVD — CVE-2026-106618: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-106618
• MITRE CWE-863 — Incorrect Authorization: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/863.html
• FIRST EPSS: https://www.first.org/epss/ (no score available at the time of writing)
• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog (CVE not listed)
• Vendor security bulletin: Adobe ColdFusion security advisories — https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion.html (monitor for CVE-2026-106618)

No public proof-of-concept, exploit code, Nuclei template, or confirmed threat actor campaign has been observed for CVE-2026-106618 at the time of writing.