CVE-2023-48489 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 digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise web content management and digital asset delivery. The platform's architecture includes numerous administrative interfaces and content management capabilities that handle sensitive user interactions and data processing. When vulnerabilities exist within such critical systems, they can potentially compromise entire organizational digital infrastructures. The presence of DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in AEM versions 6.5.18 and earlier creates a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to execute malicious code within victim browsers. This particular vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input within the platform's client-side processing mechanisms.
The technical flaw manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data within the document object model. This specific weakness allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through manipulated URLs that reference vulnerable pages within the AEM interface. The vulnerability operates at the DOM level rather than traditional server-side input validation, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate because the malicious payload is executed in the victim's browser context. Attackers can craft specially crafted URLs that, when visited by an authenticated user, trigger the execution of malicious scripts within the legitimate AEM application's security context.
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 who can convince victims to click on malicious links gain the ability to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, access sensitive content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability's exploitation requires social engineering to get victims to visit malicious URLs, but once executed, it can provide attackers with persistent access to the victim's session and potentially escalate privileges within the AEM environment. This creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on AEM for critical digital experiences and content management operations.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.19 or later, which contain patches addressing this vulnerability. Security teams should implement comprehensive URL filtering and monitoring to detect suspicious link patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Network segmentation and privileged access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution through web browsers. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar issues in custom AEM implementations and third-party integrations that may introduce additional attack vectors.