CVE-2010-2861
CVE-2010-2861 is a security flaw in Adobe ColdFusion, Adobe’s platform for building web applications. Attackers can read files on Adobe ColdFusion that should be out of reach. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 25 Mar 2022, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Adobe ColdFusion is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff.
Description
CISA calls it a directory traversal in Adobe ColdFusion. In its words: “A directory traversal vulnerability exists in the administrator console in Adobe ColdFusion which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in the administrator console in Adobe ColdFusion 9.0.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the locale parameter to (1) CFIDE/administrator/settings/mappings.cfm, (2) logging/settings.cfm, (3) datasources/index.cfm, (4) j2eepackaging/editarchive.cfm, and (5) enter.cfm in CFIDE/administrator/.”[2]
The underlying weakness is path traversal (CWE-22), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as Adobe ColdFusion.
Most families won’t have Adobe ColdFusion; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 Mar 2022, 4,244 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[3]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Adobe ColdFusion is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[3] |
See also
Other Adobe ColdFusion flaws
- CVE-2026-48282: path traversal ·
- CVE-2017-3066: deserialization ·
- CVE-2024-20767: improper access control ·
- CVE-2023-38203: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2023-29300: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2023-26359: deserialization of untrusted data ·
Other Adobe flaws
- CVE-2026-48356, Adobe Commerce and Magento: unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type ·
- CVE-2026-71362, Adobe Commerce and Magento: incorrect authorization ·
- CVE-2026-75650, Adobe Commerce and Magento: improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine ·
- CVE-2009-3459, Adobe Acrobat and Reader: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2026-34621, Adobe Acrobat and Reader: prototype pollution ·
Other path traversal flaws
- CVE-2025-61624, Fortinet products: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-3199, ONLYOFFICE Docs: server path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-104286, Fortinet FortiMail: path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-93616, Check Point products: path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-66384, JFrog Artifactory: improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-26318, WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances: arbitrary code execution ·
- CVE-2022-26143, Mitel MiCollab, MiVoice Business Express: access control ·
- CVE-2022-21999, Microsoft Windows: print spooler privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-42237, Sitecore XP: remote command execution ·
- CVE-2021-22941, Citrix ShareFile: improper access control ·
Every Adobe flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Adobe ColdFusion Directory Traversal Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2010-2861 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 11 Aug 2010.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.997, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2010-2861”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.