Detect CVE-2026-48282: Adobe ColdFusion Path Traversal Exploitation in IBM QRadar
Detects exploitation attempts targeting CVE-2026-48282, a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in Adobe ColdFusion. Active exploitation confirmed by CISA KEV listing. Attackers may use directory traversal sequences in HTTP requests to read sensitive files outside the web root, including configuration files containing credentials, or to achieve remote code execution via file write primitives.
MITRE ATT&CK
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT
sourceip,
"destinationIP",
URL,
"HTTPResponseCode",
starttime,
LOWER(URL) AS url_lower,
CASE
WHEN URL MATCHES '.*(\.\./|%2e%2e|%252e%252e|%2f%2e%2e|%5c%2e%2e).*' THEN TRUE
ELSE FALSE
END AS has_traversal,
CASE
WHEN LOWER(URL) MATCHES '.*(password|secret|credential|config\.xml|neo-security|neo-runtime|server\.xml|\.pfx|\.pem|\.key).*' THEN TRUE
ELSE FALSE
END AS targets_sensitive
FROM events
WHERE
LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) IN ('Microsoft IIS', 'Apache HTTP Server', 'nginx')
AND (
URL MATCHES '.*(\.\./|%2e%2e%2f|%2e%2e%5c|%252e%252e|%2f%2e%2e%2f).*'
OR LOWER(URL) MATCHES '.*(\.\./).*'
)
AND (
LOWER(URL) MATCHES '.*(\.cfm|\.cfc|/cfide/|/cf_scripts/|/rest/|/flex2gateway/).*'
)
AND LOGSOURCETIME BETWEEN (NOW() - 3600000) AND NOW()
ORDER BY starttime DESC
LIMIT 500QRadar AQL query identifying path traversal sequences in HTTP requests directed at Adobe ColdFusion endpoints. Flags requests targeting sensitive file patterns and orders results by recency for triage.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Authorized web application security scans logged through QRadar-connected IDS sensors
- Proxy or load balancer re-encoding of URI components that introduces traversal-like sequences
- ColdFusion application health check endpoints that use parameterized paths with dot components
- Third-party monitoring agents that test ColdFusion availability with encoded path parameters
Other platforms for CVE-2026-48282
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1ColdFusion Path Traversal - Read neo-security.xml via URL traversal
Expected signal: IIS/Apache access log entry: GET /CFIDE/administrator/../../lib/neo-security.xml with source IP of test host. HTTP response code 200 if vulnerable, 400/403 if patched or WAF-blocked.
- Test 2ColdFusion Path Traversal - URL-encoded traversal to password.properties
Expected signal: Web server access log entry with URL-encoded traversal sequence. If server decodes before logging, DecodedURI will contain '../lib/password.properties'. If logged raw, csUriStem will contain '%2e%2e%2f%2e%2e%2f'.
- Test 3ColdFusion Path Traversal - Double-encoded traversal sequence (%252e%252e)
Expected signal: WAF logs should show the double-encoded payload. ColdFusion access logs may show decoded single-percent-encoded form if WAF decodes once before forwarding. Both log sources should be checked.
- Test 4ColdFusion Path Traversal - Enumerate ColdFusion web root via automated scan simulation
Expected signal: Multiple web server access log entries from the same source IP within a short window, each containing traversal sequences targeting different ColdFusion configuration file paths. HTTP response sizes will differ based on file accessibility.
References (4)
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb26-68.html
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-48282
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