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You scan a host and find port 8500 open. Navigating to it reveals two directories: CFIDE and cfdocs. Files end in .cfm. The administrator login at /CFIDE/administrator shows ColdFusion 8. You have two paths: read the password hash via directory traversal, or skip straight to unauthenticated RCE through FCKeditor.
password.properties file stores SHA1 hashes of admin passwords. The hash 2F635F6D20E3FDE0C53075A84B68FB07DCEC9B03 can be cracked or used directly in some authentication bypass scenarios. But why crack when you can get RCE without credentials?ColdFusion 8.0.1 and earlier bundle FCKeditor with a file upload connector that doesn't require authentication. The upload path is predictable. You upload a JSP webshell disguised with a double extension, then access it directly.
The exploit uploads a JSP reverse shell through the FCKeditor connector, triggers execution, catches the shell, and cleans up the uploaded file. No credentials. No admin panel. Port 8500 and a vulnerable version are all it takes.
Look for .cfm and .cfc file extensions. Check HTTP headers for Server: ColdFusion. Browse to /CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm. The default ports are 80, 443, 8500 (SSL), and 5500 (Server Monitor). Nmap sometimes identifies it during service scans on 8500.
ColdFusion isn't as common as WordPress or Tomcat, but it persists in enterprise environments. Government agencies. Universities. Legacy e-commerce. When you see port 8500 and .cfm extensions, you know exactly what to do. The FCKeditor path hasn't changed in fifteen years.
Finish the lesson once you have worked through the material. This awards ★ 40 XP.