# CVE-2018-15961: Adobe ColdFusion Unrestricted File Upload

> Attackers can upload malicious files to Adobe ColdFusion to achieve arbitrary code execution on the server.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4gvr-xfhg-jc8f

## What is CVE-2018-15961?

CVE-2018-15961 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 25 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Adobe ColdFusion versions July 12 release (2018.0.0.310739), Update 6 and earlier, and Update 14 and earlier have an unrestricted file upload vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15961?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Coldfusion.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15961?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-15961 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-15961 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-15961 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Unrestricted file upload in Adobe ColdFusion (github_poc): https://github.com/vah13/CVE-2018-15961
- Exploit for CVE-2018-15961, a unrestricted file upload vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion 2018 leading to RCE (github_poc): https://github.com/xbufu/CVE-2018-15961
- CVE-2018-15961 — ᴀᴅᴏʙᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴅғᴜsɪᴏɴ (ʀᴄᴇ)  (github_poc): https://github.com/orangmuda/CVE-2018-15961
- cve-2018-15961 (github_poc): https://github.com/cved-sources/cve-2018-15961
- Adobe ColdFusion CKEditor unrestricted file upload (metasploit)
- Adobe ColdFusion 2018 - Arbitrary File Upload (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Coldfusion

- [CVE-2026-48282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48282/): Adobe ColdFusion Path Traversal (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-38203](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38203/): Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-29300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29300/): Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-26359](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26359/): Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-4939](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4939/): Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-15961 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15961 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 25 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-15961 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Adobe Coldfusion. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15961/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15961/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15961
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15961
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15961

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15961/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.