CVE-2019-7955 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Experience Manager version 6.4 and ealier have a Reflected Cross-site Scripting vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to Sensitive Information disclosure in the context of the current user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2023
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.4 and earlier contain a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, 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 to the browser, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the context of the victim's session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM framework. When users interact with certain endpoints or parameters within the application, the system processes these inputs without sufficient sanitization measures. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when executed, can capture session cookies, steal user credentials, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server rather than being stored on the server, making it particularly challenging to detect through traditional security scanning methods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data within the AEM environment. Successful exploitation allows threat actors to execute scripts in the context of the current user, potentially leading to complete session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the content management system. Organizations using AEM for managing sensitive corporate content, customer data, or proprietary information face significant risk exposure, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing emails, malicious links, or compromised websites that redirect users to vulnerable AEM endpoints.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing application endpoints. Organizations should prioritize applying the official security patches released by Adobe for AEM versions 6.4 and earlier, as these updates contain the necessary fixes to address the reflected XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, enforcing strict content security policies, and conducting regular security assessments of AEM configurations can significantly reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious file execution to gain access to systems, and T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential social engineering attempts that could exploit this vulnerability through crafted user interactions.