CVE-2018-15970 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.4, 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, and 6.0 have a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to sensitive information disclosure.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2020
Adobe Experience Manager suffers from a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects multiple versions including 6.4, 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, and 6.0. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before reflecting it back in HTTP responses, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server rather than being stored, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through crafted URLs or email links. When exploited, this vulnerability can lead to sensitive information disclosure, potentially allowing attackers to access session cookies, user credentials, or other confidential data within the application environment. The attack typically involves crafting a malicious URL that includes script code in parameters or other input fields, which are then reflected back to the victim's browser without proper sanitization. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to Adobe Experience Manager implementations as it can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, and other malicious activities that compromise the security posture of the web application. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable full account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive content management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it affects core functionality of Adobe Experience Manager which serves as a content management platform for enterprise organizations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing malicious URLs that target authenticated users of the system, potentially leading to unauthorized access to content, configuration settings, and user management capabilities. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions indicates a widespread issue that affects organizations across different deployment scenarios, from small businesses to large enterprises relying on Adobe's digital experience platform. Security teams must consider the potential for lateral movement within networks where AEM systems are deployed, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to sensitive organizational data and potentially serve as a foothold for further attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics involving the delivery of malicious payloads through phishing or other deceptive means. The reflected XSS nature makes this particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various channels including email, web links, or even within legitimate application workflows where users might encounter maliciously crafted content.
Organizations must implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. Immediate remediation efforts should focus on applying the latest security patches and updates provided by Adobe to resolve the reflected XSS issue. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can help prevent malicious scripts from being executed within the application context. Web Application Firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious patterns commonly associated with XSS attacks, including unusual script tags or encoded payload sequences. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded, thereby reducing the impact of any successful XSS attempts. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scans and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues within the application environment. The mitigation approach should follow industry best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, emphasizing the importance of defense in depth strategies. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous user behavior or unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Given that this vulnerability affects core content management functionality, organizations should also review their access controls and authentication mechanisms to ensure that even if exploitation occurs, the impact remains limited through proper privilege management and least-privilege principles.