Detect CVE-2026-48282: Adobe ColdFusion Path Traversal Exploitation in Sumo Logic CSE
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
Sumo Detection Query
_sourceCategory=web/access/coldfusion OR _sourceCategory=web/iis OR _sourceCategory=web/apache
| where (%"cs-uri-stem" matches "*../*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*..%2f*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*%2e%2e*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*%252e*"
or %"request" matches "*../*" or %"request" matches "*..%2f*" or %"request" matches "*%2e%2e*")
| where (%"cs-uri-stem" matches "*.cfm*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*.cfc*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*/CFIDE/*" or %"cs-uri-stem" matches "*/rest/*"
or %"request" matches "*.cfm*" or %"request" matches "*.cfc*" or %"request" matches "*/CFIDE/*")
| parse regex field=%"cs-uri-stem" "(?<traversal_seq>(?:\.\.[\/]|%2[eE]%2[eE][\/]|%252[eE]%252[eE])+)" nodrop
| if (isEmpty(traversal_seq), "none", traversal_seq) as traversal_seq
| parse regex field=%"cs-uri-stem" "(?i)(?<target_file>[\w.-]+\.(?:xml|properties|ini|pwd|pfx|p12|key|pem|log|cfm|cfc))$" nodrop
| count as request_count, values(%"sc-status") as http_codes, values(%"cs-uri-stem") as traversal_uris by %"c-ip", %"cs-host"
| where request_count >= 1
| sort by request_count descSumo Logic query detecting ColdFusion path traversal attempts from web access logs. Parses traversal sequences and targeted filenames, aggregating by source IP and host for triage prioritization.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Internal vulnerability management platforms scanning ColdFusion servers on a scheduled basis
- Multi-tenant hosting environments where encoded path characters appear in subdirectory routing
- ColdFusion application search functions that pass URL-encoded relative paths as parameters
- WAF bypass testing by internal security teams generating encoded traversal payloads in non-production
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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