CVE-2024-26089 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier Answer: are affected by a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction, as the victim needs to visit a web page with a maliciously crafted script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier contain a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as a DOM-based XSS flaw that can be exploited through maliciously crafted web content. The vulnerability exists within the application's handling of user-supplied input in the browser environment rather than in server-side processing, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate through traditional server-side input validation measures.
The technical flaw stems from improper sanitization of user input within the DOM manipulation functions of the Adobe Experience Manager interface. When users interact with maliciously crafted URLs or web content that contains encoded JavaScript payloads, the application fails to adequately validate or escape the input before incorporating it into the browser's DOM structure. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute within the victim's browser session with the privileges of the authenticated user. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited, meaning victims must navigate to specifically crafted web pages containing the malicious payload, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the victim's browser context. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, modify page content, redirect users to malicious sites, or even perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user if the application provides administrative capabilities. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected Adobe Experience Manager installations, potentially compromising sensitive content management operations and user data. Organizations utilizing this platform may face significant risks including data breaches, unauthorized content modification, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure if the compromised user has elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Adobe Experience Manager installations to version 6.5.21 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within their web applications, particularly focusing on DOM-based XSS prevention techniques. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase, with particular attention to user input handling and DOM manipulation functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper security controls throughout the entire application lifecycle, as highlighted by CWE-79's emphasis on preventing XSS vulnerabilities through proper input sanitization and output encoding practices.