CVE-2023-38203: Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability

Reference page built from the source records below, each shown as its source publishes it. Dataset version ref-c7f499a29aed, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z.

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name: Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability
Vendor: Adobe
Product: ColdFusion
Added to the catalog: 2024-01-08
Due date for US federal agencies: 2024-01-29
Weaknesses: CWE-502
Catalog version: 2026.10.30

Adobe ColdFusion contains a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability that allows for code execution.

Required action (CISA)

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Ransomware use: CISA marks this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns. CISA does not say which group used it.

Links in CISA's notes

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status: Analyzed
Published: 2023-07-20T16:15:12.180
Last modified: 2026-06-17T06:09:39.360
Weaknesses: CWE-502

Adobe ColdFusion versions 2018u17 (and earlier), 2021u7 (and earlier) and 2023u1 (and earlier) are affected by a Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability that could result in Arbitrary code execution. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.

Metric	Score	Severity	Vector	Scored by
CVSS 3.1	9.8	CRITICAL	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H	[email protected] (Secondary)

References

https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb23-41.html (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb23-41.html (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-38203 (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:42:08.214Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2023-38203

CVE record

Title (CNA): Analysis CVE-2023-29300 Bypass: Adobe ColdFusion Pre-Auth RCE
Assigner: adobe
State: PUBLISHED
Published: 2023-07-20T15:41:10.683Z
Updated: 2025-10-21T23:05:42.563Z
Problem types: Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502)

References

https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb23-41.html

Read on 2026-11-03T02:04:14.758Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2023/38xxx/CVE-2023-38203.json

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data

Harden: Software Update (acts on Software)
Harden: Trusted Library (acts on Subroutine)
Model: Software Inventory (acts on Software)
Model: Asset Vulnerability Enumeration (acts on Software)
Harden: Domain Logic Validation (acts on Subroutine)
Harden: Variable Initialization (acts on Subroutine)
Harden: Credential Scrubbing (acts on Subroutine)
Restore: Restore Software (acts on Software)
Isolate: Application-based Process Isolation (acts on Subroutine)

D3FEND ontology version 1.6.0.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:56:57.230Z under licence d3fend-terms-of-use@f98cbc7e from https://d3fend.mitre.org/api/weakness/cwe/CWE-502.json

MITRE D3FEND™ knowledge graph. © 2025 The MITRE Corporation.
"The MITRE Corporation (MITRE) hereby grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use D3FEND for research, development, and commercial purposes. Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy." Terms: https://d3fend.mitre.org/tou/

Sources and licences

CISA
Source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30, CC0 1.0. Use of this data does not imply endorsement by CISA or DHS.
CC0 1.0 Universal
National Vulnerability Database (NIST)
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
NVD API Terms of Use (NIST publications in the public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105)
CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation
Copyright © 1999-2026, The MITRE Corporation. CVE is a trademark and the CVE logo is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE™). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.
CVE Program Terms of Use ("CVE Usage" licence)
MITRE D3FEND
MITRE D3FEND™ knowledge graph. © 2025 The MITRE Corporation.
"The MITRE Corporation (MITRE) hereby grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use D3FEND for research, development, and commercial purposes. Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy." Terms: https://d3fend.mitre.org/tou/
MITRE D3FEND Terms of Use (site + knowledge graph); source repo MIT

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "CVE-2023-38203: Adobe ColdFusion Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability",
entity page, dataset version ref-c7f499a29aed, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/cve/CVE-2023-38203 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30.
Underlying source: National Vulnerability Database (NIST), CVE API 2.0, record last modified 2026-06-17T06:09:39.360.
Underlying source: CVE List (CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation), record updated 2025-10-21T23:05:42.563Z.
Underlying source: MITRE D3FEND, ontology version 1.6.0.

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