CVE-2024-36142 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 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 • 03/23/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier contain a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant threat to web application security. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields that are subsequently stored and executed when other users view the affected content. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM form processing components, creating an attack surface where malicious payloads can persist and propagate through the application's content management system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to submit malicious JavaScript code through vulnerable form fields within the AEM interface. When the content is stored in the system's database or content repository, the malicious script remains embedded and executes automatically whenever legitimate users interact with the affected pages. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload can affect multiple users over time, unlike reflected XSS attacks that require specific user interaction. The attack vector typically involves crafting script tags or other malicious code within form inputs that bypass the application's sanitization filters, allowing the code to be saved and executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the victim's browser environment. The vulnerability affects the core content management functionality of AEM, potentially compromising the integrity of web applications built on this platform and exposing sensitive data to unauthorized access. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access restricted administrative functions, or create backdoors within the application's user interface. The persistent nature of stored XSS makes this particularly dangerous as the attack can continue to affect users long after the initial compromise, with the malicious code executing automatically in the victim's browser context.
Organizations using affected AEM versions should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls, proper content sanitization, and enhanced security monitoring of form submissions. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided patches and updates as soon as they become available, implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, and conducting thorough security testing of all form inputs and user-generated content. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect suspicious content patterns and implement proper access controls to limit who can submit content to vulnerable form fields. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1059.007 for command and control through script execution, making it a critical concern for organizations implementing comprehensive threat detection and response strategies.