CVE-2023-48496 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 content management and digital marketing operations. The platform's architecture includes numerous administrative interfaces and user-facing components that process user input through various channels. This particular vulnerability manifests within the DOM-based XSS attack vector, which operates by injecting malicious JavaScript code into the Document Object Model of web pages. The flaw specifically affects versions 6.5.18 and earlier, indicating a widespread exposure across a significant portion of the platform's user base. The vulnerability's classification as DOM-based XSS (CWE-79) distinguishes it from traditional reflected or stored XSS variants, as it leverages the dynamic nature of client-side JavaScript execution within the browser environment rather than relying on server-side processing of user input.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data flows through the application's DOM manipulation functions without proper sanitization or encoding. When a victim visits a maliciously crafted URL containing the vulnerable page reference, the browser executes the injected JavaScript code within the security context of the authenticated user session. This presents a critical risk because the malicious payload operates with the privileges and permissions of the victim user, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive content, modification of data, or execution of administrative functions. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting the malicious URL, making it particularly dangerous in phishing scenarios or when users are tricked into clicking on compromised links within email communications or web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration. The low-privileged attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their access level within the AEM environment, potentially gaining access to restricted administrative functions or sensitive content management features. This vulnerability directly impacts the platform's security posture by creating a potential entry point for attackers to compromise user sessions and access confidential information. The attack vector's effectiveness is amplified in enterprise environments where AEM systems often contain sensitive business data, customer information, and proprietary content that could be valuable to malicious actors.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager must implement immediate mitigations to protect their systems from exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary recommended approach involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.19 or later, which includes patches addressing the DOM-based XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's client-side code can help prevent the execution of malicious scripts. Security measures should include content security policy implementation, strict input sanitization, and regular security assessments of web application components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through malicious links and privilege escalation through session manipulation, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries seek to maintain persistent access to enterprise digital platforms.