CVE-2023-48481 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2023
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier are affected by a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could be abused by a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious scripts into vulnerable form fields. Malicious JavaScript may be executed in a victim’s browser when they browse to the page containing the vulnerable field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2024
Adobe Experience Manager presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.18 and earlier, allowing low-privileged attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields that persist in the application's database. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user input within form submission processes, where insufficient sanitization permits malicious payloads to be stored and subsequently executed when other users interact with the affected content. The flaw operates through the application's content management interface where form data is processed and rendered without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms. When victims browse to pages containing the compromised form fields, their browsers execute the injected JavaScript code within the context of their authenticated sessions, potentially enabling unauthorized actions or data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic stored XSS flaw categorized under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, bypassing normal security restrictions. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the core content management functionality of Adobe Experience Manager, which typically handles sensitive user data and business-critical content. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or redirect users to malicious domains, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AEM serves as a primary content management platform.
The operational implications of CVE-2023-48481 extend beyond simple script execution, as it represents a significant foothold for attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive organizational data. In typical enterprise deployments, AEM instances often contain confidential business information, user credentials, and proprietary content that becomes vulnerable when attackers successfully exploit this stored XSS vulnerability. The low privilege requirement means that even users with minimal access rights can potentially compromise the entire system through carefully crafted payloads. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which covers "Modify Application Configuration", as the malicious script injection can alter the application's behavior and potentially modify system configurations. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious payloads that are submitted through form fields and then executed when other users view the content, creating a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time.
Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation through Adobe's official security patches and updates, as the vulnerability affects the core functionality of the platform and requires urgent remediation. Additional defensive measures include implementing robust input validation at multiple layers, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and establishing comprehensive monitoring for suspicious form submissions. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all form fields and user input mechanisms within AEM installations, while implementing proper output encoding to prevent script execution in rendered content. The vulnerability's persistence through stored data means that organizations must also consider forensic analysis of potentially compromised content and user sessions, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle XSS-related breaches in content management systems.