CVE-2023-48587 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise content management and digital marketing operations. The platform handles sensitive user data and provides administrative interfaces that require robust security controls. This particular vulnerability exists within the DOM-based cross-site scripting mechanism of AEM versions 6.5.18 and earlier, creating a significant risk for organizations that rely on this platform for their digital presence and customer engagement activities. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the platform's web interface components, particularly affecting the way dynamic content is processed and rendered in the browser environment.
The technical flaw manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This specific weakness allows malicious actors to inject JavaScript code through URL parameters or other input vectors that are then executed within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a cross-site scripting flaw, with the DOM-based variant specifically categorized under CWE-939 which addresses weaknesses in the design of web applications. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious URLs that contain encoded JavaScript payloads, which when visited by an authenticated user, execute within the context of the victim's session with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the AEM environment. Low-privileged attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain access to administrative interfaces and sensitive content management features. The risk is particularly elevated in enterprise environments where AEM serves as the primary platform for customer-facing applications, digital marketing campaigns, and internal collaboration tools. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors to establish persistent access within the organization's digital infrastructure, potentially leading to data breaches and service disruption.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.19 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Input validation controls should be strengthened to ensure all user-supplied data is properly sanitized and encoded before being processed by the application. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected components within their AEM deployments and implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1531 as "Establishment of a Command and Control Channel", which demonstrates how such vulnerabilities can be leveraged to create persistent access points within enterprise networks. Regular security awareness training for administrators and developers is essential to prevent social engineering attacks that might be used to deliver malicious payloads to unsuspecting users.