Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat and ColdFusion
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Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat, Reader, and ColdFusion allow remote code execution, privilege escalation, and data theft.
CERT-FR has released a security advisory documenting multiple vulnerabilities across Adobe's product line. Affected products include Acrobat 2024 (before version 24.001.30383), Acrobat Reader (before 26.001.21662), Adobe Acrobat (before 26.001.21662) for both Windows and macOS, ColdFusion 2023 (before Update 20), and ColdFusion 2025 (before Update 9). The vulnerabilities enable remote code execution, privilege escalation, confidentiality breaches, security policy bypass, denial of service, and XSS injection. Defenders should apply the patches referenced in Adobe security bulletins APSB26-63 and APSB26-64 immediately to affected systems.
Mentioned in this report
Detection guidance
Adobe Acrobat or Reader Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
Acrobat/Reader launching cmd, PowerShell, script hosts or LOLBins, a typical post-exploitation pattern after a client-side RCE in a malicious PDF. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.
title: Adobe Acrobat or Reader Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
id: 4b6286ae-faf1-5475-b005-44aeeea09336
status: experimental
description: Detects Adobe Acrobat or Reader spawning command shells, script hosts
or common living-off-the-land binaries. This is a typical post-exploitation pattern
after exploitation of a code execution flaw in the PDF reader (e.g. the Acrobat
vulnerabilities in APSB26-63). Matches on the parent/child relation, not on specific
payloads.
references:
- https://www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/avis/CERTFR-2026-AVI-0720
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1203
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
ParentImage|endswith:
- \Acrobat.exe
- \AcroRd32.exe
Image|endswith:
- \cmd.exe
- \powershell.exe
- \pwsh.exe
- \wscript.exe
- \cscript.exe
- \mshta.exe
- \rundll32.exe
- \regsvr32.exe
- \certutil.exe
- \bitsadmin.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legacy PDF workflow plug-ins or document management integrations that launch helper
scripts from Acrobat
- Enterprise print or export automation that calls cmd.exe from Acrobat
level: high
author: Vorant
ColdFusion Server Process Spawning Shell or Recon Utility
The ColdFusion service process spawning cmd, PowerShell or common recon/download utilities, indicating possible web-facing RCE exploitation. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.
title: ColdFusion Server Process Spawning Shell or Recon Utility
id: 43f9792a-fce7-5dbf-b95d-4b11b1c41a3f
status: experimental
description: Detects the Adobe ColdFusion server process (coldfusion.exe or its bundled
java.exe) spawning command shells or common recon and download utilities. This indicates
possible exploitation of a remote code execution flaw in ColdFusion (e.g. APSB26-64).
Matches on the parent/child relation, not on specific payloads.
references:
- https://www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/avis/CERTFR-2026-AVI-0720
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.t1190
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_parent_cf:
ParentImage|endswith: \coldfusion.exe
selection_parent_java:
ParentImage|contains: \ColdFusion
ParentImage|endswith: \java.exe
selection_child:
Image|endswith:
- \cmd.exe
- \powershell.exe
- \pwsh.exe
- \whoami.exe
- \certutil.exe
- \bitsadmin.exe
- \mshta.exe
- \net.exe
- \net1.exe
- \nltest.exe
condition: 1 of selection_parent_* and selection_child
falsepositives:
- ColdFusion administrators running scheduled tasks or cfexecute-based scripts that
call cmd.exe
- Installer or update routines launched from the ColdFusion service during patching
level: high
author: Vorant
Behavioural rules are generated from public reporting — validate in your environment before deploying.
Source reporting: https://www.cert.ssi.gouv.fr/avis/CERTFR-2026-AVI-0720
What this brief leaves out
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