CVE-2023-48513 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 digital content across multiple channels. The platform serves as a central hub for content management, digital asset management, and customer experience orchestration, making it a critical component in enterprise digital infrastructure. When vulnerabilities exist within such platforms, they can potentially expose extensive attack surfaces that impact numerous organizational assets and user data.
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the form processing components of the platform. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code into form fields that are subsequently stored within the system's database. The vulnerability specifically affects the rendering and processing of user-submitted data in web forms, where the platform fails to properly sanitize or encode user inputs before displaying them in subsequent page renders. The issue manifests when attackers exploit the lack of proper security controls in the content management pipeline, particularly in areas where form data is persisted and later retrieved for display purposes. This represents a classic stored XSS scenario where malicious payloads are permanently stored and executed when legitimate users interact with the affected content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised environment. Low-privileged attackers who can submit content through forms gain the ability to execute arbitrary javascript code in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the entire digital experience platform, as any user with access to form submission functionality can compromise other users who view the affected content. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the vulnerability is patched, potentially allowing attackers to establish long-term access to sensitive information or system resources. The attack surface includes not only the immediate form fields but also any downstream components that might be influenced by the executed malicious scripts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening of the Adobe Experience Manager platform. Organizations should prioritize applying the vendor-provided security patches as soon as possible to resolve the stored XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms at multiple layers of the application architecture can help prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Security controls should include strict sanitization of all user inputs, proper content security policies, and regular security assessments of form processing components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Modify Application Code" and T1059.007 which addresses "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript". Regular security training for developers and administrators on secure coding practices remains essential for preventing similar vulnerabilities in custom-developed components that integrate with the platform.