CVE-2025-61813 is an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability classified under CWE-611, affecting Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.4, 2023.16, 2021.22, and earlier. The vulnerability arises from improper restriction of XML external entity references during XML parsing, allowing an attacker to craft malicious XML input that triggers the server to read arbitrary files from the file system. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information such as configuration files, credentials, or other critical data stored on the server. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction, increasing the attack surface and risk. The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially intended security boundaries. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 indicates a high severity, with attack vector as network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), scope changed (S:C), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and low availability impact (A:L). Although no known exploits are publicly reported yet, the nature of XXE vulnerabilities and ColdFusion’s widespread use in enterprise environments make this a critical issue to address promptly. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates interim mitigations such as disabling external entity processing in XML parsers and monitoring for anomalous XML payloads.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality due to potential unauthorized access to sensitive files on ColdFusion servers. Organizations in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that rely on ColdFusion for web applications or internal services could face data breaches, regulatory non-compliance, and reputational damage. The ease of exploitation without authentication or user interaction increases the likelihood of automated scanning and exploitation attempts. The change in scope means that attackers could access resources beyond the original security boundary, potentially compromising multiple systems or data stores. This could lead to exposure of personally identifiable information (PII), intellectual property, or security credentials, which are heavily regulated under GDPR and other European data protection laws. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks, including lateral movement or privilege escalation within affected networks.

1. Apply official Adobe ColdFusion patches immediately once released for versions 2025.4, 2023.16, 2021.22, and earlier. 2. Until patches are available, disable or restrict XML external entity processing in ColdFusion’s XML parsers by configuring the XML parser features to disallow external entities. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all XML inputs to prevent malicious payloads. 4. Employ network-level controls such as web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XXE attack patterns. 5. Monitor server logs and network traffic for unusual XML requests or error messages indicative of XXE exploitation attempts. 6. Conduct security assessments and penetration testing focused on XML processing components. 7. Limit ColdFusion server file system permissions to minimize the impact of arbitrary file reads. 8. Educate development and operations teams about secure XML handling practices and the risks of XXE vulnerabilities.