CVE-2023-48539 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.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2024
Adobe Experience Manager presents a significant security weakness through CVE-2023-48539, 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, specifically when processing URLs that reference vulnerable pages. The vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of input parameters that are directly incorporated into the Document Object Model without proper validation or encoding mechanisms. When a malicious actor crafts a specially crafted URL containing malicious JavaScript payloads and persuades a victim to access it, the victim's browser executes this code within the legitimate context of the AEM application. This creates a dangerous scenario where attackers can leverage the victim's authenticated session to perform unauthorized actions, potentially accessing sensitive data or modifying application behavior.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, with the DOM-based variant specifically classified under CWE-939. The attack vector requires social engineering to convince victims to click malicious links, making it particularly insidious as it exploits user trust rather than directly compromising system defenses. The vulnerability operates at the client-side execution level where JavaScript code is injected into the DOM and subsequently executed, bypassing traditional server-side input validation mechanisms. This type of XSS vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be used to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The DOM-based nature means that the attack occurs entirely within the browser's Document Object Model without requiring server-side processing, making detection and prevention more challenging.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-48539 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to fully compromise user sessions within the Adobe Experience Manager environment. Low-privileged attackers can potentially escalate their access by leveraging this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to content management features, modify web pages, or exfiltrate sensitive information. The attack requires minimal technical skill to execute, making it attractive to threat actors who may not possess advanced exploitation capabilities. Organizations running affected AEM versions face significant risk of data breaches, content tampering, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability can be exploited across different user roles depending on the specific implementation, potentially allowing attackers to access administrative functions if they can manipulate parameters that affect access controls. This makes the impact particularly severe for content management systems where users have varying permission levels and sensitive data is frequently accessed through web interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-48539 should focus on immediate remediation through the application of Adobe's official security patches and updates for AEM versions 6.5.18 and earlier. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious content from being executed within the browser context. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify any other potential DOM-based XSS vulnerabilities within their AEM implementations. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious URL patterns and potential exploitation attempts. Regular security awareness training for users can help reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1531 for Account Access Removal, highlighting the need for layered defensive measures. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls specifically configured to detect and block XSS attack patterns targeting AEM applications, ensuring that all user-supplied inputs are properly sanitized before being processed or rendered within the browser environment.