CVE-2024-36222 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier 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 typically 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 systems running versions 6.5.20 and earlier contain a critical 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, specifically manifesting as a DOM-based XSS flaw that occurs when the application processes untrusted data within the Document Object Model rather than in HTTP response headers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters that are directly incorporated into client-side JavaScript execution contexts without proper encoding or escaping mechanisms.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering tactics to convince victims to interact with maliciously crafted URLs or forms that trigger the XSS payload within the victim's browser session. Attackers can craft links containing malicious JavaScript code that executes when the user navigates to the compromised page, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The DOM-based nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is executed on the client-side within the victim's browser environment, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional server-side security controls and directly compromise user sessions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive content management systems, potential data breaches, and compromise of user authentication tokens. The attack vector typically involves phishing campaigns or malicious website links that appear legitimate to end users, making detection and prevention particularly challenging. Organizations using Adobe Experience Manager in production environments face potential unauthorized modification of web content, unauthorized access to administrative functions, and possible lateral movement within network environments through stolen session cookies or credentials. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where users have elevated privileges within the AEM system, as successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of Adobe's official patches and updates for Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier, which typically address the root cause through proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities and establish strict input validation policies for all user-supplied parameters within the AEM environment. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments and user awareness training should be conducted to reduce the likelihood of social engineering attacks. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security monitoring can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Removal and T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple security domains.