CVE-2025-64897 is an Improper Access Control vulnerability (CWE-284) identified in Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.4, 2023.16, 2021.22, and earlier. This flaw allows a low-privileged attacker to bypass security restrictions and gain limited unauthorized write access to the system. The vulnerability primarily affects the integrity and availability of affected ColdFusion servers, as unauthorized write access can lead to denial of service conditions. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as a victim clicking a malicious link or opening a crafted file, which makes automated exploitation less likely but still feasible in targeted attacks. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.6, reflecting a medium severity level with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H, meaning the attack requires local access, low attack complexity, low privileges, and user interaction, with no confidentiality impact but limited integrity and high availability impact. No public exploits are known at this time, and Adobe has not yet released patches, though the vulnerability has been officially published. The issue stems from inadequate enforcement of access control policies within ColdFusion, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized write operations that could disrupt service or modify application behavior. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations relying on ColdFusion for critical web applications and services, as it could lead to service outages or manipulation of application data. The lack of confidentiality impact reduces the risk of data leakage, but the potential for denial of service and integrity compromise remains significant.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-64897 lies in potential service disruption and integrity compromise of web applications running on Adobe ColdFusion. Denial of service could affect business continuity, especially for sectors relying heavily on ColdFusion for customer-facing or internal applications, such as finance, government, and manufacturing. The limited write access could allow attackers to alter application files or configurations, potentially leading to further exploitation or operational issues. Since exploitation requires user interaction and low privileges, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used as attack vectors. The absence of confidentiality impact reduces the risk of data breaches but does not eliminate operational risks. Organizations with large ColdFusion deployments may face increased risk of targeted attacks aiming to disrupt services. Additionally, the medium CVSS score suggests moderate urgency in patching, but the potential for denial of service means that unpatched systems could become unreliable or unavailable, impacting service level agreements and customer trust.

1. Monitor Adobe’s official channels for patch releases and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until patches are released, restrict ColdFusion server access to trusted users and networks, minimizing exposure. 3. Implement strict user privilege management to ensure users have only necessary permissions, reducing the attack surface. 4. Educate users about phishing and social engineering risks to reduce the likelihood of user interaction exploitation. 5. Employ application-layer firewalls or intrusion prevention systems to detect and block suspicious requests targeting ColdFusion. 6. Conduct regular audits of ColdFusion configurations and access controls to identify and remediate misconfigurations. 7. Use logging and monitoring to detect unusual write operations or service disruptions indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Consider isolating ColdFusion servers in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 9. Review and harden ColdFusion application code to minimize reliance on vulnerable components and enforce additional access controls where possible. 10. Develop and test incident response plans specific to ColdFusion service disruptions to ensure rapid recovery.