CVE-2024-36161 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 presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.20 and earlier, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields that persist in the application's database. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS flaw where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to other users. The attack vector requires an authenticated user with permissions to create or modify content within the AEM instance, making it particularly dangerous in environments where content authors have elevated privileges. When victims browse to pages containing the maliciously injected script, the JavaScript executes in their browser context, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with persistent access to victim sessions and can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment and T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, enabling adversaries to establish persistent footholds within the organization's digital ecosystem. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once injected, the malicious payload remains active until manually removed, allowing for extended periods of unauthorized access. Attackers can exploit this to steal user sessions, capture sensitive form data, or redirect users to phishing pages that appear legitimate within the AEM interface.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected AEM versions to the latest security releases, which include proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations must implement comprehensive content validation policies that enforce strict sanitization of all user inputs, particularly in form fields and rich text editors. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTTP security headers can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Security teams should also conduct regular security assessments of AEM instances, implement privileged access management controls, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized content modifications. According to NIST SP 800-53, this vulnerability requires controls under SC-5 - System and Communications Protection and SI-7 - Security Testing and Evaluation to ensure proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms are in place. Regular security training for content authors and administrators is essential to prevent social engineering attacks that could lead to privilege escalation and exploitation of this vulnerability.