Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-61813

XXE in Adobe Coldfusion 2021 … 2025

Published
10 December 2025
Modified
05 August 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.4
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0054 42th percentile
Risk Priority 54 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-61813 is a high-severity Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (CWE-611) vulnerability in Adobe Coldfusion. Its CVSS base score is 7.4 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 42th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2025-61813 is an Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (XXE) vulnerability, classified under CWE-611, affecting Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.4, 2023.16, 2021.22, and earlier. This flaw enables arbitrary file system reads, allowing attackers to access sensitive files on the server. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L), reflecting high confidentiality impact with low attack complexity and changed scope.

An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely with low complexity by tricking a user into interacting with malicious XML input, such as processing a crafted document or file upload. Upon successful exploitation, the attacker gains the ability to read arbitrary files on the server, potentially exposing configuration data, credentials, or other sensitive information, though integrity and availability impacts remain low.

Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-105, available at https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb25-105.html, details patches and recommended mitigations for affected ColdFusion versions. Security practitioners should apply these updates promptly and review server configurations for XML processing to prevent exploitation.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

ColdFusion versions 2025.4, 2023.16, 2021.22 and earlier are affected by an Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference ('XXE') vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary file system read. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive files on the…

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server. Exploitation of this issue does requires user interaction and scope is changed.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1213 Data from Information Repositories Collection
Adversaries may leverage information repositories to mine valuable information.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-61821Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2016-4264Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-49544Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-49539Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-49535Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-61823Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2026-47960Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2024-53961Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-49545Same product: Adobe Coldfusion
CVE-2025-30290Same product: Adobe Coldfusion

Affected Assets

adobe
coldfusion
2021, 2023, 2025

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.5.1
  • V15.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Secure configuration settings can disable external entity processing in XML parsers.

Developer testing can discover XXE flaws through targeted XML parsing tests.

Input validation can reject or sanitize XML containing external entity references.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-01 mostly match
prevents

Hardened XML parser configurations directly disable external entity resolution.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices include input validation and safe XML parser configuration that prevent XXE.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning can discover XXE flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching eliminates XXE-vulnerable parser versions but is only one aspect of software maintenance.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development catches XXE via static analysis and dynamic XML fuzzing.

finds

Vulnerability management identifies and patches XML libraries with unsafe default entity settings.

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates input validation and entity handling that directly prevents XXE.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for disabling external entity processing in XML parsers.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include safe parser configuration that mitigates external entity risks.

prevents

Secure coding standards require disabling DTDs and external entities in XML processing.

References