CVE-2024-26031 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 03/18/2024
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 • 04/16/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that enables organizations to create, manage, and deliver personalized content across multiple channels. The platform serves as a critical component in enterprise digital strategies, handling sensitive user data through various form interactions and content management functionalities. This stored cross-site scripting vulnerability specifically targets the form handling mechanisms within AEM's content management capabilities, creating a persistent security risk that extends beyond traditional XSS attack vectors.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper sanitization of user input within form fields, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets stored within the application's database or content repository. When authenticated users subsequently view the affected pages containing these stored payloads, the malicious scripts execute within their browser context, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling further attack vectors. This vulnerability operates as a server-side storage mechanism rather than a client-side execution, making it particularly dangerous as the malicious code persists and can affect multiple users over time. The flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where input is not properly validated or sanitized before being rendered to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the AEM environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to access administrative functions, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that even users who do not immediately interact with the affected forms can be compromised when they later view pages containing the malicious payloads. This creates a persistent threat that can affect large user bases and potentially compromise entire content management workflows. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves use of malicious files or scripts to gain access to systems, and T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter techniques.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.20 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing input validation mechanisms, content security policies, and regular security scanning of form inputs can provide additional layers of protection. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all form fields and content management interfaces to identify potential attack vectors and ensure proper sanitization of user inputs. Regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments should be performed to identify similar weaknesses in the broader application ecosystem, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive input validation across all user interaction points within enterprise content management systems.