# CVE-2023-38205: Adobe ColdFusion Improper Access Control

> Attackers can bypass access controls to reach administrative endpoints in Adobe ColdFusion without user interaction.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 20 Jul 2023 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-76wh-rggp-rxxq

## What is CVE-2023-38205?

CVE-2023-38205 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 14 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Adobe ColdFusion versions 2018u18 (and earlier), 2021u8 (and earlier) and 2023u2 (and earlier) are affected by an Improper Access Control vulnerability that could result in a Security feature bypass. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to access the administration CFM and CFC endpoints. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38205?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Coldfusion.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38205?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38205 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 10 Aug 2023.

## Is CVE-2023-38205 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-38205 in the wild since at least 20 Jul 2023.

Public exploit code:

- Adobe ColdFusion - Access Control Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-38205.yaml

## 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-2018-15961](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15961/): Adobe ColdFusion Unrestricted File Upload (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38205 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38205 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 14 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-38205 in the wild since at least 20 Jul 2023.

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-2023-38205/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38205/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38205
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38205
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38205

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38205/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.