CVE-2023-48535 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 • 01/06/2024
Adobe Experience Manager presents a significant security weakness through CVE-2023-48535, which manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This flaw resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the browser environment, creating an attack vector where malicious scripts can be injected and executed without server-side processing involvement. The vulnerability specifically targets the client-side execution context where JavaScript manipulates the Document Object Model, allowing attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the user's browser and the web application.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a low-privileged attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script payloads that are then executed within the victim's browser context. This DOM-based XSS variant differs from traditional server-side XSS because it leverages the browser's interpretation of user input rather than server-side data processing. The vulnerability operates by manipulating DOM elements through JavaScript functions that do not properly sanitize or escape user-provided data, enabling attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute with the privileges of the victim's browsing session.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-48535 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to complete session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized administrative actions within the AEM environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, modify content, or escalate privileges within the application's administrative interface. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that even unauthenticated attackers can potentially compromise user sessions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the platform. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows ATT&CK technique T1531 related to credential access through web application vulnerabilities.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 or earlier face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited through social engineering campaigns that trick users into visiting malicious URLs. The remediation approach requires immediate implementation of Adobe's security patches, along with comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application. Security teams should implement Content Security Policy headers, enforce proper sanitization of user inputs, and conduct regular security assessments of web applications. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should address the dangers of clicking untrusted links, while network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect and alert on suspicious URL patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against client-side exploitation vectors.