# CVE-2024-53961: ColdFusion | Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (CWE-22)

> Attackers can read arbitrary files outside restricted directories if the admin panel is exposed, leading to sensitive information disclosure.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 25 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wv74-9rqg-jx46

## What is CVE-2024-53961?

CVE-2024-53961 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 23 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ColdFusion versions 2023.11, 2021.17 and earlier are affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary file system read. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to access files or directories that are outside of the restricted directory set by the application. This could lead to the disclosure of sensitive information or the manipulation of system data. Exploitation of this issue requires the admin panel be exposed to the internet.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-53961?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Coldfusion.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-53961?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-53961 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-53961 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-53961 exists.

## 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-2024-53961 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-53961 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion, published on 23 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-53961 exists.

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-2024-53961/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53961/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-53961
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-53961
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-53961

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53961/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.