CVE-2020-9643 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5 and earlier have a server-side request forgery (ssrf) vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to sensitive information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2020
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5 and earlier contain a critical server-side request forgery vulnerability that allows remote attackers to bypass security controls and access internal systems. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-918 category of Server-Side Request Forgery, which occurs when an application processes external requests without proper validation of the target destination. The flaw exists in the way AEM handles requests to external resources, particularly when processing URLs through its internal proxy mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate internal services, thereby tricking the application into making unintended requests to internal network resources. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to enumerate internal services, access sensitive configuration files, and potentially gain unauthorized access to backend databases or other critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within AEM's request processing pipeline. When the system receives requests to fetch external content or resources, it fails to properly sanitize or validate the target URLs, allowing attackers to specify arbitrary destinations. This weakness enables attackers to craft requests that can traverse internal networks, potentially accessing systems that should be isolated from external access. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted requests to AEM endpoints that handle external resource fetching, where the application blindly follows the specified URLs without proper authorization checks or network boundary enforcement. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as attackers can use this vulnerability to map internal network topology and identify vulnerable internal services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to escalate their privileges and access critical system components. Successful exploitation may allow unauthorized access to internal databases, administrative interfaces, or other sensitive systems that are typically protected by network segmentation. The vulnerability can be particularly devastating in enterprise environments where AEM is used to manage content for multiple internal applications and services. Organizations may experience data breaches, system compromise, or unauthorized access to confidential information stored within the AEM environment. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for other potential exploits, as attackers can use the initial compromise to pivot to other internal systems. This type of vulnerability is classified under the Common Exploitation Technique framework as a privilege escalation vector that can be used to gain deeper access to enterprise infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Adobe, which address the specific SSRF vulnerability in affected AEM versions. Network-level protections should be enhanced through firewall rules that restrict access to internal resources from external interfaces, and implementing proper URL validation mechanisms within the application itself. The mitigation strategy should include disabling unnecessary external resource fetching capabilities and implementing strict access controls for internal services. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive network scans to identify any internal systems that may be accessible through the vulnerable AEM instance and implement proper network segmentation. Additional protective measures include monitoring for suspicious external resource requests and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SSRF attempts. Organizations should also review their AEM configuration to ensure that proxy settings are properly restricted and that internal services are not unnecessarily exposed to external requests. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all external inputs and implementing proper network boundary controls to prevent unauthorized access to internal systems.