CVE-2023-48491 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 versions 6.5.18 and earlier contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability categorized as DOM-based XSS that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability resides in the way the application handles user input within the DOM structure, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and executed when victims navigate to specifically crafted URLs. The flaw specifically affects the user interface components that process URL parameters without proper sanitization, creating an attack surface where untrusted input can be directly interpreted as executable code within the browser context of authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of URL parameters within the AEM interface, particularly in administrative and content management sections. When a user visits a maliciously crafted URL containing script payloads, the vulnerable DOM elements process these inputs without adequate encoding or filtering mechanisms. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input before using it in the DOM, which directly enables XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges and perform unauthorized actions within the AEM environment. A low-privileged attacker can leverage this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive administrative functions, modify content, steal session tokens, or even establish persistent access through session hijacking techniques. The attack requires social engineering to convince victims to visit malicious URLs, but once executed, the consequences can be severe for organizations relying on AEM for content management, digital marketing, and enterprise web applications. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that use AEM for managing sensitive customer data, proprietary content, or critical business applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected AEM versions to 6.5.19 or later, which contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all URL parameters and user-supplied content within the AEM environment. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing and code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom AEM implementations and third-party components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for script execution and T1566 for social engineering techniques, emphasizing the need for both technical controls and user awareness training to prevent exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing strict access controls and monitoring for anomalous user behavior that might indicate successful exploitation attempts.