CVE-2023-48591 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 presents a significant security risk through CVE-2023-48591, which manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the browser environment, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code. The flaw specifically exploits the Document Object Model manipulation capabilities within the web application's client-side processing, allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that can trigger XSS payloads when visited by unsuspecting users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires social engineering to convince victims to navigate to specifically crafted URLs, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where attackers can leverage phishing campaigns or compromised links within legitimate communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the AEM interface components, particularly those handling URL parameters and user interactions. When users access vulnerable pages, the application fails to properly escape or validate data that flows from URL parameters into DOM elements, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be interpreted as executable JavaScript code. This DOM-based XSS variant is particularly insidious because it operates entirely within the browser context without requiring server-side processing, making traditional server-side input filtering ineffective. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that mandate proper input sanitization and output encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-48591 extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities within the victim's browser session. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive data from the application's interface. Given that AEM is commonly used for content management and digital experience platforms, the compromised session could provide access to sensitive corporate content, user data, and administrative functions. The vulnerability's low privilege requirement makes it particularly concerning for organizations that rely on AEM for business-critical operations, as attackers can exploit it to gain unauthorized access to content management systems without requiring elevated privileges. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which describes the use of manipulation of web content to gain access to user sessions.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, beginning with upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.19 or later, which contain the necessary patches and security improvements. Additionally, administrators should implement robust input validation measures at the application level, including comprehensive URL parameter sanitization and strict content security policy enforcement. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though they should not be relied upon as the sole mitigation. The implementation of CSP headers that restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized content loading can significantly reduce the impact of successful XSS attempts. Regular security assessments and user awareness training should be conducted to minimize the risk of social engineering attacks that could exploit this vulnerability, as the attack vector specifically requires user interaction with malicious URLs. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed audit logs of user activities within the AEM environment to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis.