CVE-2023-48506 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 • 01/05/2024
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that enables organizations to create, manage, and deliver personalized content across multiple channels. The platform serves as a central hub for content management, digital asset management, and customer engagement solutions. Given its widespread adoption across enterprise environments, vulnerabilities within AEM can pose significant security risks to organizations relying on its functionality. The platform's form handling capabilities are integral to its user interaction features, allowing content creators and administrators to build dynamic web forms for various business purposes including customer feedback, lead generation, and data collection processes.
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-48506 resides within the form field processing mechanisms of Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This flaw specifically affects how the platform handles user input in form fields, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be persistently stored and subsequently executed. The vulnerability manifests when low-privileged attackers exploit insufficient input validation and output encoding controls within the form submission process. When legitimate users view pages containing these compromised form fields, the stored JavaScript code executes within their browser context, potentially leading to unauthorized actions being performed on their behalf. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS issue because the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and delivered to users upon subsequent page requests rather than being reflected in HTTP responses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, representing a critical threat vector for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions and access sensitive information. Low-privileged attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious websites, or injecting additional malicious content into the application. The persistent nature of stored XSS makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts. Attackers can craft sophisticated payloads that may attempt to escalate privileges, access administrative functions, or exfiltrate data from the compromised environment. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the digital experience platform, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive content management systems and user data.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of official patches released by Adobe. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. Security teams should implement additional defensive measures including input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and regular security assessments of form processing components. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious code to gain access to systems and data. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts, while maintaining comprehensive logging and monitoring of form submission activities to identify potential exploitation attempts. Regular security training for content managers and administrators can help reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering or privilege escalation attacks.