CVE-2023-48443 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2023
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier are affected by a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. If a low-privileged attacker is able to convince a victim to visit a URL referencing a vulnerable page, malicious JavaScript content may be executed within the context of the victim's browser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive content management platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise digital experiences, making it a prime target for sophisticated cyber threats. This particular vulnerability exists within the framework's handling of user-supplied input in web requests, specifically affecting versions 6.5.18 and earlier. The reflected cross-site scripting flaw stems from inadequate sanitization of parameters passed through HTTP requests, allowing malicious actors to inject executable JavaScript code that gets reflected back to the victim's browser. The vulnerability operates through a typical XSS attack vector where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script payloads that, when clicked by an unsuspecting user, executes within the victim's browser context with the privileges of that user.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires the attacker to leverage the platform's user interface elements that process and display user input without proper validation or encoding mechanisms. When a victim navigates to a specially crafted URL containing malicious script content, the application reflects this input back to the browser without adequate sanitization, creating an execution environment where the injected JavaScript code runs with the same privileges as the legitimate user. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to severe client-side exploitation. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but is instead injected through the request parameters and immediately reflected back to the user, making it particularly challenging to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the victim's browser session. Low-privileged attackers can potentially escalate their access by stealing session cookies, performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirecting victims to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The attack surface is particularly concerning for enterprise environments where Adobe Experience Manager is used for managing sensitive content, user authentication, and business-critical applications. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to harvest user credentials, access restricted content, or manipulate data within the application's interface, all while maintaining the appearance of legitimate user behavior. This makes detection more difficult as the malicious activity appears to originate from authenticated users, complicating traditional security monitoring and incident response procedures.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Adobe, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious requests. The mitigation strategies should also include user education initiatives to raise awareness about phishing attempts and suspicious links, along with regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities within the broader application ecosystem. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using secure coding practices that enforce proper input sanitization can significantly reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage through browser-based attacks. The remediation process should also involve thorough testing to ensure that the applied patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing application functionality while maintaining the integrity of user sessions and data access controls.