CVE-2024-36224 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 typically requires user interaction, such as convincing a user to click on a specially crafted link or to submit a form that causes the vulnerable script to execute.
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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, specifically classified as DOM-based XSS where the attack occurs in the client-side DOM rather than through server-side output. The flaw exists within the application's handling of user-supplied input that is processed directly within the browser environment without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through manipulated input parameters that are subsequently executed within the victim's browser context. This DOM-based XSS variant is particularly dangerous because it leverages the Document Object Model manipulation capabilities of modern browsers, enabling attackers to modify the page content dynamically without requiring server-side code execution. The vulnerability typically manifests when user-provided data is directly incorporated into DOM operations such as innerHTML, outerHTML, or other DOM manipulation methods without appropriate input validation or output encoding.
Operational exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering tactics to诱导 users into interacting with maliciously crafted links or forms that trigger the vulnerable code path. Attackers can construct URLs with malicious payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser session. This creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can perform actions on behalf of users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the application environment.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Adobe. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.21 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, implementing comprehensive input sanitization at multiple layers including client-side validation, server-side filtering, and proper HTML encoding of dynamic content can provide defense-in-depth protection. Security teams should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and monitor for suspicious user interactions that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing and T1059.007 for execution through scripting, making it a critical target for both preventive and detective security controls.