CVE-2023-48451 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2023
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier are affected by a Cross-site Scripting (DOM-based 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 • 01/04/2024
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive content management platform widely deployed across enterprise environments for digital experience management. The platform serves as a central hub for creating, managing, and delivering digital content across multiple channels and touchpoints. Organizations rely heavily on AEM for their web presence, making it a prime target for cyber adversaries seeking to exploit vulnerabilities that could compromise user sessions and access sensitive organizational data. The vulnerability in question specifically affects versions 6.5.18 and earlier, indicating that this represents a long-standing issue within the platform's codebase that has persisted across multiple releases.
The vulnerability manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting flaw that operates through the manipulation of the Document Object Model within the victim's browser context. This particular variant of XSS differs from traditional reflected or stored XSS attacks because it leverages the DOM manipulation capabilities of modern web browsers to execute malicious scripts. The attack vector requires a low-privileged attacker to craft a malicious URL that, when visited by an unsuspecting victim, triggers the execution of unauthorized JavaScript code within the victim's browser session. This DOM-based nature means the malicious payload is injected directly into the DOM structure rather than being reflected in HTTP responses or stored in databases, making detection and prevention more challenging.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, and access sensitive user data within the context of the victim's authenticated session. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that attackers need minimal access to potentially compromise high-value targets within the organization. This vulnerability particularly threatens administrative users who may access AEM through browser interfaces, as successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise. The attack requires social engineering to convince victims to click malicious links, but once executed, the consequences can be severe for enterprise security postures.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability effectively. The immediate remediation involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.19 or later, which contain patches addressing the DOM-based XSS vulnerability. Organizations should also implement robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious content from being processed within the application's DOM structure. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense in depth. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Run-time Application Masking" and T1059.007 which deals with "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript". Regular security assessments and user awareness training should complement technical controls to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks.