CVE-2023-48500 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2023
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier are affected by a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (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 handling. The platform's architecture includes numerous endpoints and interfaces that process user input through various web forms, query parameters, and API interactions. This particular vulnerability exists within the platform's input validation mechanisms, specifically affecting the way the system handles reflected data in HTTP responses. The reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is directly included in web responses without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject executable JavaScript code.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's handling of HTTP request parameters that are reflected back to users without adequate output encoding or validation. When a victim accesses a maliciously crafted URL containing crafted script payloads, the application processes these parameters and includes them directly in the HTTP response without proper sanitization. This creates a persistent vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 6.5.18, indicating a widespread impact across the platform's user base. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be crafted to be included in a URL that the victim visits, making it a client-side attack vector that requires user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate web applications, and perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access user accounts, extract session tokens, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The low-privileged nature of the attacker requirement means that even users with minimal permissions can exploit this vulnerability to gain significant access within the application's context. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Adobe Experience Manager for their digital presence, as it could lead to complete compromise of user sessions and sensitive content exposure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.19 or later, which contains the necessary security patches. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be strengthened across all user-facing interfaces, with particular attention to parameter handling in URL query strings and form submissions. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security scanning and monitoring of web application traffic should be established to detect potential exploitation attempts. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, while ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for spearphishing with social engineering techniques that could be employed to deliver the malicious payloads.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling user-supplied content. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their Adobe Experience Manager implementations, review all input handling mechanisms, and implement robust security monitoring solutions. Regular security training for developers and administrators regarding secure coding practices and common attack vectors is essential. The vulnerability also highlights the need for continuous security updates and patch management processes, as unpatched systems remain vulnerable to exploitation. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and additional security controls to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities.