CVE-2016-6934 in Experience Manager Forms
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Experience Manager Forms versions 6.2 and earlier, LiveCycle 11.0.1, LiveCycle 10.0.4 have an input validation issue in the PMAdmin module that could be used in cross-site scripting attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2022
Adobe Experience Manager Forms versions 6.2 and earlier, along with LiveCycle 11.0.1 and LiveCycle 10.0.4 contain a critical input validation vulnerability within the PMAdmin module that creates a persistent cross-site scripting attack vector. This vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters before they are processed and rendered back to users within the application interface. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's administrative interface through improperly validated input fields, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions and data exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the PMAdmin module's handling of form parameters and administrative inputs. When administrators or users interact with the forms administration interface, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input data received from client-side requests. This weakness creates an environment where malicious actors can craft specially formatted payloads that bypass existing security controls. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-79 - Cross-Site Scripting attack, specifically manifesting as a persistent XSS flaw that affects the application's administrative components rather than user-facing interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative functions within Adobe Experience Manager Forms. Successful exploitation could enable threat actors to manipulate form configurations, access sensitive data, modify administrative settings, and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The persistence of this vulnerability means that malicious scripts remain active until manually removed from the application's administrative interface, creating ongoing security risks for organizations utilizing affected versions. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as it enables attackers to establish persistent command execution capabilities through the administrative interface.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Adobe, which address the input validation issues in the PMAdmin module. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative interfaces can help detect suspicious activities. Implementing proper input validation controls, output encoding, and content security policies would significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's administrative components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all user inputs within administrative interfaces, particularly in enterprise content management systems where administrative access provides extensive privileges over organizational data and processes.