CVE-2024-20780 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 04/10/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.19 and earlier are affected by a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could be abused by an 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 • 04/07/2025
Adobe Experience Manager presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.19 and earlier, where attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code into form fields that persist in the application's database. This flaw resides in the handling of user input within web forms and content management interfaces, creating a persistent threat vector that allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM content management system, specifically affecting the way form data is processed and rendered back to users. When victims navigate to pages containing the compromised form fields, their browsers execute the injected malicious code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. This stored XSS vulnerability operates under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a common weakness in web application security. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which involves establishing persistence through malicious scripts, and T1566, focusing on credential access via social engineering. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior, access sensitive user data, and potentially escalate privileges within the AEM environment. The vulnerability's persistence stems from the fact that malicious payloads remain stored in the system's database, making them available to any user who accesses the affected pages. Attackers typically exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that bypasses validation checks and gets stored in the application's content repository. The consequences include unauthorized data access, modification of content, and potential compromise of user sessions. Organizations using AEM versions prior to 6.5.20 should urgently implement mitigations including input sanitization, output encoding, and regular security updates to protect against this vulnerability. The flaw represents a significant risk to enterprise content management systems where user-generated content is processed and stored, potentially affecting thousands of users who interact with vulnerable AEM instances. Security teams must prioritize patching this vulnerability as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the application environment, enabling long-term access and data exfiltration. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AEM is widely deployed for content management and digital experience platforms.