CVE-2023-22263 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2023
Experience Manager versions 6.5.15.0 (and earlier) are affected by a URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') vulnerability. A low-privilege authenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious websites. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2025
The CVE-2023-22263 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw in Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.15.0 and earlier, classified under CWE-601 as an insecure direct object reference that enables malicious redirection. This vulnerability exists within the application's handling of URL parameters during authentication flows and user navigation processes, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate web requests through crafted redirect URLs. The flaw specifically manifests when the system fails to properly validate and sanitize redirect parameters, allowing unauthorized redirection to external domains without proper verification mechanisms.
Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability operates through the manipulation of URL parameters that control user redirection after authentication or specific application actions. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that appear legitimate to users but redirect them to phishing sites, malware distribution platforms, or other malicious domains. The vulnerability requires an authenticated user session to exploit effectively, making it a low-privilege attack vector that can escalate through social engineering tactics. This opens the door to credential theft, malware delivery, and other advanced persistent threats that rely on user trust in legitimate application interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, creating potential for sophisticated phishing campaigns and credential harvesting operations. When exploited, attackers can redirect users to sites that mimic legitimate Adobe Experience Manager interfaces, capturing login credentials and session information. The vulnerability's reliance on user interaction makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may not immediately recognize suspicious redirections. This weakness can be leveraged as part of broader attack chains, potentially enabling further exploitation through techniques such as credential stuffing, session hijacking, or privilege escalation within the application environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation controls, proper URL parameter sanitization, and the implementation of allowlists for redirect destinations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential harvesting through phishing and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage. Security teams should deploy web application firewalls with URL validation rules, conduct regular security assessments of application redirect mechanisms, and implement user education programs to recognize suspicious redirection patterns. System administrators must ensure all Experience Manager instances are updated to versions that address this vulnerability, as Adobe has released patches specifically targeting this flaw. The mitigation strategy should include monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns in web server logs and implementing automated detection mechanisms that can identify and block malicious redirect attempts.