CVE-2023-48540 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 • 01/06/2024
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive content management platform widely deployed across enterprise environments for digital experience management. The platform serves as a central hub for content creation, management, and delivery across multiple channels. This particular vulnerability exists within the form handling mechanisms of Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier, specifically targeting the validation and processing of user input within form fields. The stored XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-provided data before it is persisted in the system's database or content repository.
The technical flaw manifests when malicious input is submitted through form fields that lack proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. When a low-privileged attacker crafts malicious JavaScript code and submits it through a vulnerable form, the system stores this content without adequate sanitization. Subsequently, when other users view pages containing these stored form fields, the malicious script executes within their browser context. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. The attack vector leverages the platform's trust in stored content, where legitimate user input is treated as safe without proper security checks during the rendering process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the victim's browser context. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive information from the user's browsing session. The low privilege requirement makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it does not require administrative access or elevated permissions to exploit. This weakness can be exploited in conjunction with other techniques to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the application environment. The vulnerability affects the integrity of user data and can compromise user privacy and system security, especially in environments where sensitive information is collected through web forms.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application stack. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.19 or later, which contains patches addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom form implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the ATT&CK framework's T1531 technique for credential access through XSS. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized form submissions and potential exploitation attempts.