CVE-2023-22264 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.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22264 represents a critical open redirect flaw affecting Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.15.0 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-601 category of URL Redirection to Untrusted Site, which is classified as a security weakness that allows attackers to redirect users to malicious websites through manipulated URLs. The flaw specifically impacts the authentication and session management mechanisms within the Adobe Experience Manager platform, creating a pathway for social engineering attacks that can compromise user security and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect URLs within the application's web framework. When users navigate through the Experience Manager interface, certain parameters that control redirection behavior are not properly sanitized or validated against a whitelist of trusted domains. This allows an attacker to craft malicious URLs that contain redirect parameters pointing to external domains, which the application will then follow without proper security checks. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials, but once achieved, they can leverage this flaw to redirect authenticated users to phishing sites or malicious domains designed to capture credentials or install malware.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks as it can be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. When users are redirected to malicious sites, they may unknowingly provide credentials to fake login pages or download malware that can then be used to escalate privileges within the Experience Manager environment. The requirement for user interaction means that successful exploitation relies on social engineering tactics to convince users to click on malicious links, but this interaction can be facilitated through various channels including email campaigns, compromised internal communications, or malicious advertisements. The vulnerability affects not only the end-users but also the organization's overall security posture by potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive content management systems.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary remediation involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions that have patched this vulnerability, specifically versions 6.5.16.0 and later. Additionally, administrators should implement URL validation mechanisms within their web application firewalls to block suspicious redirect parameters and establish strict domain whitelisting policies for all redirection functionality. Network-level controls should be configured to monitor and alert on unusual redirect patterns, while security awareness training should be conducted to educate users about recognizing and reporting suspicious links. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing proper access controls and monitoring user activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in their web applications and ensure that all components of their digital infrastructure are properly secured against open redirect vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies that combine technical controls with user education and continuous monitoring to maintain robust security postures against evolving threats.