CVE-2025-49544 is a vulnerability identified in Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.2, 2023.14, 2021.20, and earlier. The issue is classified as an Improper Restriction of XML External Entity (XXE) Reference, corresponding to CWE-611. XXE vulnerabilities arise when XML input containing a reference to an external entity is processed by a weakly configured XML parser. In this case, the vulnerability allows a high-privileged attacker to bypass security features by exploiting the improper handling of XML external entities. The vulnerability does not require user interaction to be exploited, and the scope of impact is changed, meaning that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting other parts of the system or network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.8 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring high privileges (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), scope changed (S:C), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). This suggests that an attacker with high privileges on the system can exploit this vulnerability remotely to access sensitive information or bypass security controls without affecting system integrity or availability. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for sensitive data exposure and security bypass. Adobe ColdFusion is a widely used commercial rapid web application development platform, often deployed in enterprise environments for building and deploying web applications and services. The improper restriction of XML external entities can allow attackers to read arbitrary files, perform server-side request forgery (SSRF), or bypass security mechanisms that rely on XML processing, depending on the specific application context and configuration. Given the changed scope, the impact may extend beyond the ColdFusion application itself, potentially affecting other integrated systems or services.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49544 can be significant, especially for enterprises relying on Adobe ColdFusion for critical web applications and services. The vulnerability enables high-privileged attackers to bypass security features and access sensitive information, which could include confidential business data, personal data protected under GDPR, or intellectual property. Exposure of such data could lead to regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses. Since exploitation does not require user interaction and can be performed remotely, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges or move laterally within an organization's network. The changed scope indicates that the vulnerability might affect other interconnected systems, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Additionally, the confidentiality impact is high, which is particularly concerning for sectors handling sensitive personal or financial data, such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions in Europe. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits following public disclosure. Organizations with legacy or unpatched ColdFusion installations are especially vulnerable.

To mitigate CVE-2025-49544, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately identify all instances of Adobe ColdFusion in their environment, including versions 2025.2, 2023.14, 2021.20, and earlier. 2) Apply official patches or updates from Adobe as soon as they become available; if no patches are currently released, implement temporary mitigations such as disabling XML external entity processing in ColdFusion configuration or restricting XML parser features to prevent external entity resolution. 3) Restrict access to ColdFusion administrative interfaces and services to trusted networks and authenticated users with the principle of least privilege. 4) Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual XML payloads or attempts to exploit XXE vulnerabilities, using intrusion detection systems or web application firewalls with updated signatures. 5) Conduct a thorough review of application code and integrations that process XML inputs to ensure proper validation and sanitization of XML data. 6) Implement network segmentation to limit the potential lateral movement of attackers exploiting this vulnerability. 7) Educate system administrators and developers about the risks of XXE and secure XML processing practices. 8) Prepare incident response plans to quickly address any detected exploitation attempts.