CVE-2025-43562 is a critical OS Command Injection vulnerability (CWE-78) affecting multiple versions of Adobe ColdFusion, specifically versions 2025.1, 2023.13, 2021.19, and earlier. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary commands that the operating system executes. The flaw enables an attacker with high privileges to bypass security mechanisms and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Notably, exploitation does not require any user interaction, and the scope of impact is changed, meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.1, indicating a critical severity level, with attack vector being network-based (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring high privileges (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), scope changed (S:C), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and severity make it a significant risk for organizations using affected ColdFusion versions. ColdFusion is a widely used web application development platform, often deployed in enterprise environments for building and deploying web applications and services. The ability to execute arbitrary OS commands can lead to full system compromise, data breaches, lateral movement, and disruption of services.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe. Many enterprises, government agencies, and service providers in Europe rely on Adobe ColdFusion for critical web applications. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of business operations, and potential compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. The changed scope means that attackers could escalate privileges or move laterally within networks, increasing the risk of widespread compromise. Additionally, the critical nature of the vulnerability and the lack of required user interaction make it a prime target for attackers aiming to gain persistent footholds. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, public administration, and critical infrastructure could face significant operational and reputational damage if exploited. Furthermore, the ability to execute arbitrary commands could facilitate ransomware deployment or data exfiltration campaigns, exacerbating the threat landscape in Europe.

1. Immediate patching: Organizations should prioritize updating Adobe ColdFusion to the latest patched versions once Adobe releases them. Given the critical severity, patch deployment should be expedited. 2. Restrict privileges: Limit the privileges of ColdFusion service accounts to the minimum necessary, reducing the impact of potential exploitation. 3. Network segmentation: Isolate ColdFusion servers from critical internal networks to contain any potential compromise. 4. Input validation and sanitization: Review and harden any custom code or integrations that interact with OS commands to ensure proper input sanitization. 5. Monitor and alert: Implement enhanced logging and monitoring on ColdFusion servers to detect unusual command execution or privilege escalation attempts. 6. Web application firewall (WAF): Deploy or update WAF rules to detect and block command injection patterns targeting ColdFusion endpoints. 7. Incident response readiness: Prepare and test incident response plans specific to ColdFusion compromise scenarios. 8. Vendor communication: Maintain close contact with Adobe for timely updates, patches, and advisories related to this vulnerability.