CVE-2018-15973 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.4, 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, and 6.0 have a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to sensitive information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2020
Adobe Experience Manager suffers from a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects multiple versions including 6.4, 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, and 6.0. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the content management system, where improperly sanitized data can be stored and subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's content repository, which then executes when legitimate users view the affected content, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited across multiple sessions and user interactions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-079 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious scripts are not executed immediately upon submission but are instead stored within the application's database or content repository. When other users access pages containing this malicious content, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or extract sensitive information from the user's browser context. This persistent execution model makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass potential full account compromise and privilege escalation within the Adobe Experience Manager environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to the content management system, potentially gaining administrative privileges or accessing restricted content. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the application as it undermines the integrity of user-generated content and the trust users place in the system's security mechanisms. Organizations relying on Adobe Experience Manager for content management, digital marketing, or enterprise portal solutions face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, customer information, or intellectual property stored within these systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of Adobe's security patches and updates released specifically for this CVE. Organizations must implement robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent user-supplied content from containing executable scripts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect anomalous script injection attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachments, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures including user education and email security controls to prevent initial compromise through malicious content injection.