CVE-2025-49545 is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability affecting multiple versions of Adobe ColdFusion, specifically versions 2025.2, 2023.14, 2021.20, and earlier. ColdFusion is a widely used web application development platform that enables rapid deployment of web applications. The vulnerability allows a high-privilege authenticated attacker to inject arbitrary URLs into the application, causing the server to make unintended requests. This SSRF flaw can be exploited to read arbitrary files from the server's file system, which poses a significant confidentiality risk. The vulnerability is restricted to internal IP addresses, meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the internal network or be able to authenticate with high privileges on the ColdFusion server. Exploitation does not require user interaction, and the scope is changed, indicating that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.2 (medium severity), with vector AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating that the attack requires network access but only from an adjacent network, low attack complexity, high privileges, no user interaction, and a scope change. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, with no direct impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches or mitigation links have been provided yet. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-918, which relates to SSRF issues where an attacker can abuse server functionality to make HTTP requests to arbitrary domains or internal resources.

For European organizations using Adobe ColdFusion, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to sensitive data confidentiality. Since ColdFusion is often used in enterprise environments for internal and external web applications, an attacker with high-privilege credentials could leverage this SSRF flaw to access internal resources or read sensitive files on the server. This could lead to exposure of confidential business information, intellectual property, or personal data protected under GDPR. The fact that exploitation requires high privileges and internal network access somewhat limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk, especially in cases of insider threats or compromised credentials. The scope change means that the attacker could potentially pivot to other internal systems, increasing the risk of lateral movement within the network. The absence of user interaction requirements facilitates automated exploitation once access is gained. European organizations with complex internal networks and legacy ColdFusion deployments are particularly at risk. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against critical infrastructure or government entities that rely on ColdFusion for web services.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting access to ColdFusion administrative interfaces and internal network segments to trusted personnel only, using network segmentation and strict access controls. 2. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users with high privileges on ColdFusion servers to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 3. Monitor ColdFusion server logs for unusual outbound requests or URL injection patterns that could indicate SSRF attempts. 4. Apply strict input validation and sanitization on any user-controllable URL parameters within ColdFusion applications to prevent injection of arbitrary URLs. 5. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SSRF attack patterns targeting ColdFusion. 6. Since no official patches are currently available, consider temporary workarounds such as disabling unnecessary ColdFusion features that allow URL injection or restricting ColdFusion's ability to make outbound HTTP requests to only trusted destinations via firewall rules. 7. Maintain an inventory of all ColdFusion instances and prioritize patching once Adobe releases an official update. 8. Conduct internal security assessments and penetration tests focusing on SSRF vectors within ColdFusion applications to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.