CVE-2023-48577 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 • 09/20/2025
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 creating, managing, and delivering digital content across multiple channels. Given its extensive deployment and critical role in enterprise digital infrastructure, vulnerabilities within AEM can have significant operational and security implications. The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.18 and earlier represents a particularly concerning weakness due to its potential for persistent malicious code execution.
The technical flaw manifests within the form processing functionality of Adobe Experience Manager where user input is not adequately sanitized or validated before being stored and subsequently rendered in web pages. This vulnerability specifically affects form fields that accept user-generated content, creating a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be stored in the application's database or storage layer. When legitimate users subsequently view pages containing these compromised form fields, the stored JavaScript executes within their browser context, bypassing normal security boundaries. The vulnerability's classification as a stored XSS attack means the malicious payload persists beyond the initial injection point, allowing for repeated execution against multiple victims.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation. Low-privileged attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, potentially compromising entire user sessions and enabling further attacks within the compromised environment. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that even after initial exploitation, the malicious code continues to execute against any user who accesses the affected pages, creating a sustained threat vector. Organizations using AEM for sensitive business operations face heightened risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, particularly when the platform handles confidential user information or administrative functions.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Experience Manager installations to version 6.5.19 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all form fields and user input points within the application. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous script execution patterns and unusual data access patterns within the AEM environment. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom extensions or third-party integrations that may also be susceptible to similar XSS attack vectors.