CVE-2023-48552 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.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2024
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, personalization, and digital asset management, making it a critical component in enterprise digital strategies. Given its widespread adoption across various industries, vulnerabilities within AEM can have significant operational and security implications for organizations relying on the platform for their digital presence and customer engagement activities.
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.18 and earlier stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within form processing mechanisms. This flaw specifically affects form fields where user input is stored and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization. The vulnerability manifests when malicious JavaScript code is submitted through form fields and subsequently displayed to other users who access pages containing these vulnerable fields. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists in the application's database or storage system, allowing it to be executed repeatedly whenever the affected content is accessed. This represents a fundamental weakness in the platform's data handling and sanitization processes, particularly in how it processes and renders user-generated content within form contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Low-privileged attackers can exploit this vulnerability to inject scripts that can capture user credentials, manipulate browser sessions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the attack can affect multiple users over time, potentially compromising user sessions and access to sensitive data within the AEM environment. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of user interactions and can lead to unauthorized access to content management systems, potentially resulting in data breaches, content tampering, and disruption of digital services. The attack vector through form fields makes this particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through legitimate user interactions, making detection more challenging.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.19 or later, which contain patches addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within custom form implementations, ensuring that all user-provided content undergoes proper sanitization before storage and rendering. The implementation of content security policies and proper access controls can further reduce the attack surface. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of form fields and user input handling mechanisms within their AEM implementations, monitoring for any anomalous script injection attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly associated with ATT&CK tactic TA0001 (Initial Access) and technique T1566 (Phishing) in adversarial frameworks, highlighting the importance of robust input validation and user education in preventing exploitation.