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VA Technical Reference Model v 25.5

Adobe ColdFusion

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Adobe ColdFusion is a platform designed to build and deploy web enterprise applications. The platform includes a Rapid Application Development Environment based on Eclipse, a markup language called ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML) that extends Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), and an application server that supports enterprise integration and the development of web applications. There are three editions of ColdFusion: Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition, and Developer Edition. The Enterprise and Standard Editions are purchased while the Developer Edition has a 30-day free trial period. Additionally, Adobe offers ColdFusion on Amazon Web Services (AWS) for either an hourly or annual fee. This assessment covers the Enterprise Edition only. The TRM decisions in this entry only apply to technologies and versions owned, operated, managed, patched, and version-controlled by VA. This includes technologies deployed as software installations on VMs within VA-controlled cloud environments (e.g. VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC)). Cloud services provided by the VAEC, which are listed in the VAEC Service Catalog, and those controlled and managed by an external Cloud Service Provider (i.e. SaaS) are not in the purview of the TRM. For more information on the use of cloud services and cloud-based products within VA, including VA private clouds, please see the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) Portal at: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OITECSO
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v25.4
Decision Date:	04/08/2025 at 02:11:05 UTC
Aliases:	ColdFusion
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Adobe

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

You must be logged into the RSAA website prior to clicking the Attestation URLs or the URLs won't open.

Major versions and minor versions of that Major released on or after 09/14/2022 are NOT EXEMPT. Major Versions released before 09/14/2022 are EXEMPT as well as minor versions of that Major regardless of release date.

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
8	07/30/2007	07/31/2012	07/31/2014
8.0.1	04/04/2009	07/31/2012	07/31/2014
9	10/05/2009	12/31/2014	12/31/2016
9.0.1	07/13/2010	12/31/2014	12/31/2016
10	05/25/2012	05/16/2017	05/16/2019
10 Update 11	07/09/2013	05/16/2017	05/16/2019
11	04/29/2014	04/30/2019	04/30/2021
2016.x	02/16/2016	02/17/2021	02/17/2022
2018.x	07/12/2018	07/13/2023	07/13/2024
2021.x	11/11/2020	11/10/2025	11/10/2026
2023.x	05/17/2023	05/16/2028	05/16/2029
2025.x	02/26/2025	02/26/2030	02/26/2031

Current Decision Matrix (03/31/2025)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VAIT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported.

Legend:

White	Authorized: The technology/standard has been authorized for use.
Yellow	Authorized w/ Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M): This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Authorized w/ Constraints (DIVEST): VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unauthorized may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Unauthorized: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Authorized w/ Constraints (PLANNING/EVALUATION): The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M).

<Past

CY2023

CY2024

CY2025

Future>

Release

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

8.0.1

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

9.0.1

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

10 Update 11

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

2016.x

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

2018.x

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

2021.x

Approved w/Constraints
[16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23]

DIVEST
[18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27]

DIVEST
[18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29]

Authorized w/ Constraints (DIVEST)
[18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29]

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

2023.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27]

Approved w/Constraints
[18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29]

Authorized w/ Constraints
[18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29]

Authorized w/ Constraints (DIVEST)
[18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30]

2025.x

Unapproved

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Authorized w/ Constraints
[18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30]

Note:

At the time of writing, version 2025.0 is the most current version, released 02/26/2025.

Decision Constraints


[16]	If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period. This technology must use the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. This technology must use the latest version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Users must ensure that Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Server, Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) are implemented with VA-authorized baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The FIPS 140-certified RSA BSAFE Crypto-J libraries are available only in the Enterprise Edition, and VA should only use such version. WebSphere Application Server integrates cryptographic modules including Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE), which have undergone FIPS 140-2 certification. System owners should enable this option when running ColdFusion on WebSphere application server. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is FIPS 140-2 certified. It provides the FIPS-validated cryptographic modules when JBoss runs on top of it. Ensure the most recent updates, patches and hotfixes to the ColdFusion software are tested and installed as soon as they become available. As of this writing, the latest update for ColdFusion Enterprise Edition 2018 is Update 3. System owners and developers should refer to the ColdFusion Lockdown Guide, ColdFusion Developer Security Guide and Adobe ColdFusion Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) to gain useful knowledge in securing ColdFusion. In addition, an implementation of a VA-authorized web application firewall (WAF) can add another layer of security to the web server enclave.

[18]	This technology has received one or more VA security bulletins that provide specific guidance on vulnerability patching and mitigation. It is the responsibility of VA system owners to ensure that the appropriate mitigations are taken to address all known and future discovered vulnerabilities with this product. See the Reference tab for more information on security bulletins related to this product.

[20]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the VA OIT Product Engineering team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[21]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[22]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not authorized and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[23]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[24]	If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period. This technology must use the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. This technology must use the latest version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Users must ensure that PostgreSQL, Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server, Oracle Database, Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Server, Apache Tomcat, Microsoft .NET Framework, and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) are implemented with VA-authorized baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The FIPS 140-certified RSA BSAFE Crypto-J libraries are available only in the Enterprise Edition, and VA should only use such version. WebSphere Application Server integrates cryptographic modules including Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE), which have undergone FIPS 140-2 certification. System owners should enable this option when running ColdFusion on WebSphere application server. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is FIPS 140-2 certified. It provides the FIPS validated cryptographic modules when JBoss runs on top of it. Ensure the most recent updates, patches and hotfixes to the ColdFusion software are tested and installed as soon as they become available. As of this writing, the latest update for ColdFusion Enterprise Edition 2023 Update 2 (release date, 14 July 2023). System owners and developers should refer to the ColdFusion Lockdown Guide, ColdFusion Developer Security Guide and Adobe ColdFusion Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) to gain useful knowledge in securing ColdFusion. In addition, an implementation of a VA-authorized web application firewall (WAF) can add another layer of security to the web server enclave.

[25]	This product can be configured with a PostgreSQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms. If PostgreSQL is selected for use with this product, these factors must be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High-Risk system. See PostgreSQL Database TRM entry for more details.

[26]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[27]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information System Security Officer (ISSO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[28]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 or its successor to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the storage device where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information System Security Officer (ISSO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP). By September 22, 2026, all FIPS 140-2 certificate validations will be placed on the Historical List, please refer to FIPS Transition Effort for further guidance and timeline of changes.

[29]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request, visit the Product Marketplace. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[30]	If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period. This technology must use the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. This technology must use the latest version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Users must ensure that PostgreSQL, Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server, Oracle Database, Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Server, and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) are implemented with VA-authorized baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The FIPS 140-certified RSA BSAFE Crypto-J libraries are available only in the Enterprise Edition, and VA should only use such version. WebSphere Application Server integrates cryptographic modules including Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE), which have undergone FIPS 140-2 certification. System owners should enable this option when running ColdFusion on WebSphere application server. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is FIPS 140-2 certified. It provides the FIPS-validated cryptographic modules when JBoss runs on top of it. Ensure the most recent updates, patches and hotfixes to the ColdFusion software are tested and installed as soon as they become available. System owners and developers should refer to the ColdFusion Lockdown Guide, ColdFusion Developer Security Guide and Adobe ColdFusion Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) to gain useful knowledge in securing ColdFusion. In addition, an implementation of a VA-approved web application firewall (WAF) can add another layer of security to the web server enclave. System Administrators must also monitor active CVE entries.

Name	Description
ColdFusion .NET Integration Services	Adobe ColdFusion 2018 .NET Integration Service are used to access .NET assemblies from ColdFusion. The .NET assemblies can exist either locally on the computer on which ColdFusion is running or on a remote machine.
Solr search server	ColdFusion includes Solr, which provides indexing and searching technology.


Application Technology Development Tools	Application Development Tools

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This is a well-documented technology.

Adoption Risks

There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with this technology. Please see https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/search/ for more details.
There are other authorized solutions that provide similar functionality available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.
This technology has a free trial period, which carries the potential for the disruption of service delivery and inaccurate financial planning.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This technology can optionally use ColdFusion Builder, an unapproved technology.
There are Threat & Assessment Analysis Portal (TAAP) bulletins associated with this technology.
This product can be configured with a PostgreSQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms.
This technology can integrate with and alter database technologies.
This technology relies on Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
This technology relies on Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - ColdFusion Enterprise Edition is bundled with FIPS 140-2 certified RSA BSAFE Crypto-J libraries to secure web applications. However, it is worth noting the FIPS 140-2 approved cryptography is not available in the Standard Edition or when running ColdFusion on WebSphere or JBoss.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - Multiple current CVE entries exist for ColdFusion Enterprise Edition (CVE-2024-53961, CVE-2024-45113, CVE-2024-41874, CVE-2023-26360). These vulnerabilities can result in a complete impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability resulting in total information disclosure, total compromise of system integrity, and complete shutdown of the affected resource. There are also vulnerabilities are also listed is the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (CVE-2024-20767, CVE-2023-29300, CVE-2023-38203).

Architectural Benefits

This technology can use a VA-preferred database.
This technology supports the ability to make servers more secure with secure profile and default server lockdown functions.
This technology can integrate with other VA-supported Adobe and third-party technologies and expand their functionality.
This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-authorized operating systems.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.

- The information contained on this page is accurate as of the Decision Date (04/08/2025 at 02:11:05 UTC).

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VA Technical Reference Model v 25.5

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VA Technical Reference Model v 25.5

General Information

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Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

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Comparable Technologies:

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General Analysis

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Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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