CVE-2023-48470 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 presents a significant security risk through CVE-2023-48470, which manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the DOM structure, creating an attack vector where malicious scripts can be injected and executed without requiring server-side processing. The flaw operates at the client-side level, making it particularly insidious as it leverages the victim's own browser context to execute unauthorized code.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within AEM's web interface components. When users navigate to specific URLs containing malicious payloads, the application fails to properly escape or filter user-provided parameters before incorporating them into the DOM. This allows attackers to craft URLs that, when visited by victims, trigger script execution within the victim's browser session. The DOM-based nature means the attack occurs entirely within the browser's document object model, bypassing traditional server-side security controls and making detection more challenging.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Low-privileged attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information within the AEM environment. The vulnerability's exploitation requires social engineering to convince victims to click malicious links, but once executed, it can compromise the integrity of the entire user session and potentially provide attackers with access to other systems within the same security domain. This represents a critical risk for organizations relying on AEM for content management and digital experience delivery.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Adobe, implementing strict input validation controls, and deploying content security policies to limit script execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting with PowerShell or JavaScript. Additional protective measures include user education to recognize suspicious links, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments of AEM installations. Security teams should also monitor for exploitation attempts through log analysis and network traffic inspection to detect potential abuse of this vulnerability.