CVE-2023-48480 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 weakness through CVE-2023-48480, which manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This flaw resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the browser environment, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of legitimate user sessions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the way the application processes URL parameters or other client-side input, allowing attackers to manipulate the Document Object Model directly through crafted malicious links.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious actor crafts a specially formatted URL that, when visited by an unsuspecting user, triggers the execution of unauthorized JavaScript code within the victim's browser session. This DOM-based XSS variant differs from traditional reflected or stored XSS because it manipulates the page's execution context through client-side JavaScript rather than server-side processing. The vulnerability leverages the fact that AEM's user interface components fail to properly sanitize or validate input parameters that are subsequently used to modify DOM elements, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be interpreted as executable code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform actions with the privileges of the authenticated user. This includes accessing sensitive data, modifying content, or even escalating privileges within the AEM environment. The low-privileged nature of the attacker requirement means that even users with minimal permissions could potentially exploit this flaw to compromise higher-privilege accounts through session hijacking or credential theft. The vulnerability particularly affects administrators and content editors who frequently navigate to various AEM pages, making them prime targets for such attacks.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager versions prior to 6.5.18 should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Adobe, as this vulnerability represents a critical threat vector in modern web application security. The mitigation strategy should include implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's client-side code, particularly in areas where URL parameters are processed. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls and implementing content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages, emphasizing the need for comprehensive application security controls. The risk assessment should consider the potential for this vulnerability to serve as a foothold for more extensive attacks within the organization's digital infrastructure.