How to Secure ColdFusion 2025

Last updated: October 4, 202518 min read

Follow this comprehensive step-by-step guide to harden your ColdFusion 2025 installation for production environments. Estimated time: 3 hours.

Security Hardening Overview

This guide covers essential security hardening steps for ColdFusion 2025, following a "secure by default, measure everything" philosophy. Each step builds upon the previous to create a comprehensive security baseline.

Required Tools:

  • Adobe ColdFusion 2025 Lockdown Guide
  • ColdFusion Package Manager (cfpm)
  • ColdFusion Administrator Access
  • System Administrator Access
Step 1

Update All Components

Before hardening, ensure all components are current with security patches:

  • ColdFusion Updates: Apply the latest cumulative update from Adobe's update page
  • JDK Patches: Update to the latest JDK 17 patch release
  • Operating System: Apply all OS security updates
  • Web Server: Update Apache, IIS, or nginx to current versions
# Check current ColdFusion version
/opt/coldfusion2025/cfusion/bin/cfpm version
Step 2

Run the Lockdown Guide

Execute the Adobe ColdFusion 2025 Lockdown Guide to apply automated security configurations:

  • Download: Get the ColdFusion 2025 Lockdown Guide
  • Backup: Create full backup before running lockdown
  • Execute: Run the lockdown script appropriate for your OS
  • Review: Examine lockdown log for any issues or warnings
  • Test: Verify application functionality after lockdown
Important: Always test the lockdown guide in a staging environment before applying to production.
Step 3

Disable Unused Services

Minimize attack surface by removing unnecessary ColdFusion packages:

  • List Packages: View installed packages with cfpm list
  • Remove Unused: Uninstall packages your application doesn't use
  • Common Removals: PDFG services, SOLR, MongoDB (if not needed)
  • Disable Services: Turn off unused scheduled tasks and event gateways
# List installed packages
cfpm list

# Remove unused package
cfpm uninstall [package-name]

See the CFPM Package Management Guide for detailed instructions.

Step 4

Secure Administrator Access

Harden access to the ColdFusion Administrator:

  • Change Admin URL: Modify default /CFIDE/administrator path
  • IP Restrictions: Limit admin access to specific IP addresses
  • Strong Passwords: Use complex passwords (16+ characters, mixed case, symbols)
  • Multi-Factor Auth: Implement MFA for admin access
  • Separate Admin User: Create dedicated admin account (don't use default)
  • Session Timeout: Set short admin session timeout (15-30 minutes)
Best Practice: Access admin only via VPN or bastion host, never directly from internet.
Step 5

Configure Web Server Connectors

Properly secure web server connector configuration:

  • Block Direct Tomcat: Prevent direct access to Tomcat port (8500)
  • Connector Security: Use secret key for connector authentication
  • AJP Protocol: Secure AJP connector or use HTTP connector
  • Firewall Rules: Only allow web server to communicate with Tomcat
  • SSL/TLS: Encrypt connector traffic if on different hosts
# Block direct Tomcat access (iptables example)
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8500 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8500 -s 127.0.0.1 -j ACCEPT

See the Web Server Connectors Guide for detailed configuration.

Step 6

Harden Session Management

Configure secure session handling:

  • Secure Cookies: Enable Secure flag for HTTPS-only transmission
  • HttpOnly Flag: Enable HttpOnly to prevent XSS cookie theft
  • SameSite: Set SameSite=Strict or Lax for CSRF protection
  • UUID Identifiers: Use UUID session IDs (enabled by default)
  • Session Timeout: Set appropriate timeout (typically 30-60 minutes)
  • Rotation: Regenerate session ID after login
<!--- In Application.cfc --->
this.sessionManagement = true;
this.sessionTimeout = createTimeSpan(0,0,30,0);
this.setClientCookies = true;
this.sessionCookie.httpOnly = true;
this.sessionCookie.secure = true;
this.sessionCookie.sameSite = "Strict";
Step 7

Implement Security Headers

Configure HTTP security headers to protect against common attacks:

  • Content-Security-Policy: Restrict resource loading sources
  • X-Frame-Options: Prevent clickjacking (DENY or SAMEORIGIN)
  • X-Content-Type-Options: Prevent MIME-sniffing (nosniff)
  • Strict-Transport-Security: Enforce HTTPS (HSTS)
  • X-XSS-Protection: Enable browser XSS filtering
  • Referrer-Policy: Control referrer information
<!--- In Application.cfc onRequestStart --->
cfheader(name="X-Frame-Options", value="SAMEORIGIN");
cfheader(name="X-Content-Type-Options", value="nosniff");
cfheader(name="Strict-Transport-Security", value="max-age=31536000");
Step 8

Enable Security Monitoring

Implement comprehensive security monitoring and logging:

  • Enable Logging: Configure detailed security event logging
  • Failed Login Tracking: Monitor and alert on failed admin logins
  • Intrusion Detection: Implement IDS/IPS solutions
  • Log Analysis: Use SIEM tools for log aggregation and analysis
  • Alerting: Set up alerts for suspicious patterns
  • Regular Audits: Schedule security audits and reviews

See the Logging & Observability Guide for monitoring setup.

Step 9

Secure File System Permissions

Set appropriate file system permissions:

  • ColdFusion Directory: Owned by ColdFusion service account
  • Web Root: Read-only for ColdFusion, no write access
  • Temp Directories: Isolated with appropriate permissions
  • Log Files: Writable only by ColdFusion service
  • Upload Directories: Outside web root, execute permissions disabled
  • Configuration Files: Read-only, restricted access
# Linux example - set ColdFusion directory ownership
chown -R coldfusion:coldfusion /opt/coldfusion2025
chmod -R 750 /opt/coldfusion2025/cfusion/lib
Step 10

Validate and Test

Verify all security configurations before production deployment:

  • Security Scan: Run vulnerability scanner (Nessus, Qualys, etc.)
  • Penetration Testing: Perform application security testing
  • Configuration Review: Double-check all hardening settings
  • Functional Testing: Ensure application works correctly
  • Performance Testing: Verify no performance degradation
  • Documentation: Document all security configurations
Validation Checklist: Create a security checklist and verify each item is properly configured before go-live.

Ongoing Security Maintenance

Security is not a one-time task. Maintain your ColdFusion security posture through:

  • Regular security updates and patches
  • Continuous monitoring and log review
  • Quarterly security audits
  • Annual penetration testing
  • Security awareness training for development team
  • Incident response planning and testing

Related Security Guides

Need Professional Security Assessment?

For expert ColdFusion security consulting and penetration testing, contact Convective.