CVE-2024-36197 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, such as convincing a victim to click on a specially crafted link or to submit a form that triggers the vulnerability.
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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 critical 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 operates within the browser's Document Object Model rather than traditional server-side input validation issues. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters that are directly incorporated into the DOM without proper encoding or validation mechanisms.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering tactics to convince victims to interact with maliciously crafted links or forms that trigger the XSS payload within the victim's browser context. This attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which focuses on spearphishing with links, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may not be adequately trained to recognize such threats. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser session, potentially enabling full compromise of user sessions and access to sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to administrative functions within the Adobe Experience Manager platform. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, modify content, or gain access to restricted areas of the CMS that contain sensitive corporate information. The DOM-based nature of the vulnerability means that traditional server-side input validation techniques may not prevent exploitation, requiring comprehensive client-side security measures to address the root cause.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 or later, which contain patches for this vulnerability, and deploying robust content security policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Additional defensive measures should include implementing strict input validation at multiple layers, employing CSP headers to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of addressing client-side security concerns as part of comprehensive security architectures, particularly in content management systems that handle sensitive enterprise data and user interactions.