CVE-2023-48551 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 digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise content management and digital asset handling. The platform's architecture includes robust form processing capabilities that enable organizations to collect user data through web forms. This particular vulnerability resides within the form field processing mechanisms of Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier, where input validation fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. The flaw manifests as a stored XSS vulnerability because malicious payloads are permanently stored within the application's database or storage systems, making them persistent across multiple user sessions and page reloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user input within form fields that are subsequently rendered in web interfaces. When a low-privileged attacker submits malicious JavaScript code through a vulnerable form field, the platform fails to properly escape or filter the input before storing it. This stored data is then retrieved and displayed in web pages without proper output encoding, creating an environment where the malicious script executes within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects the rendering pipeline where form field values are processed and presented to end users, allowing attackers to inject scripts that can manipulate browser behavior, steal session cookies, or redirect users to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the Adobe Experience Manager environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information from authenticated users, or manipulate content displayed to other users. The low privilege requirement means that even users with minimal access rights can exploit this vulnerability, potentially escalating their privileges or causing widespread data exposure. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a critical risk for organizations relying on AEM for content management and user interaction. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that impacts can persist long after initial exploitation, making detection and remediation more challenging.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Adobe, implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and conducting thorough security assessments of all form processing components. The mitigation strategy should also include network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable AEM instances, enhanced monitoring for suspicious form submissions, and regular security scanning of web applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, and establish incident response procedures for detecting and responding to potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content, and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage.