CVE-2023-48616 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 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 pervasive use in corporate web applications, vulnerabilities within AEM pose significant risks to organizational security postures. The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.18 and earlier specifically targets the platform's form handling capabilities, where user inputs are processed and stored within the system's database. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into form fields that are subsequently rendered to other users. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM form processing pipeline, creating an environment where malicious payloads can persist and execute without proper sanitization.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess low-privileged access to the AEM system, typically through user accounts with basic content editing permissions. This access level is often more readily obtainable than administrative privileges, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with less stringent access controls. When a victim user navigates to a page containing the compromised form field, the stored JavaScript executes within their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious code persists in the database and affects multiple users over time, unlike reflected XSS which requires specific user interaction with crafted URLs. This characteristic significantly amplifies the attack surface and impact potential of the vulnerability.
The operational impact extends beyond immediate user compromise to encompass broader organizational security implications. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access sensitive content, or establish persistent backdoors within the AEM environment. The platform's integration with various enterprise systems means that compromise of a single form field could potentially lead to broader system infiltration. Additionally, the vulnerability affects content authors and editors who may unknowingly inject malicious code while working within the system's interface, creating a chain reaction of potential compromise. Organizations using AEM for customer-facing applications face particular risk, as the vulnerability could be exploited to steal customer data or manipulate content displayed to end users. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication, making it accessible to threat actors with basic web application exploitation knowledge.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected AEM versions to address the underlying input validation and encoding flaws. Organizations must implement comprehensive input sanitization measures and strengthen access controls to limit user privileges within the AEM environment. Regular security assessments of form processing components and output encoding mechanisms should be conducted to identify potential vulnerabilities. The implementation of content security policies and proper output encoding practices aligns with established security frameworks including the CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls and monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security awareness training for content authors and administrators can help prevent accidental injection of malicious code. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1531 technique for "Modify System Image" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript", highlighting the exploitation methods and potential attack paths available to adversaries. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the digital experience platform.