CVE-2024-41876 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 08/23/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.20 and earlier are affected by a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. If an attacker is able to convince a victim to visit a URL referencing a vulnerable page, malicious JavaScript content may be executed within the context of the victim's browser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2025
Adobe Experience Manager presents a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.20 and earlier, which fundamentally undermines the security posture of web applications relying on this platform. This vulnerability resides in the way the system processes and renders user-supplied input within HTTP response headers, creating an attack surface where malicious scripts can be injected and executed in the context of a victim's browser session. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape input parameters that are subsequently reflected back to users through HTTP responses, particularly in URL parameters or form fields that are not adequately validated.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script payloads that, when visited by an unsuspecting user, gets executed within the victim's browser context. This reflected nature means the attack does not require persistent storage of malicious content on the server, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through email links, chat messages, or compromised websites that redirect users to malicious URLs. The vulnerability affects the core web application functionality of Adobe Experience Manager, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, session hijacking, or the delivery of additional malware through browser-based attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using Adobe Experience Manager as their content management platform, particularly those handling sensitive user data or conducting business-critical operations through the system. The attack vector leverages social engineering tactics where users are tricked into visiting malicious links, making it difficult to defend against through traditional network security measures. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to content management systems, data breaches, or manipulation of published content, which could lead to reputational damage and regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the user experience and system security, as legitimate users may unknowingly execute malicious code that can persist through browser sessions and potentially escalate to more severe attacks.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Experience Manager installations to version 6.5.21 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing interfaces to prevent script injection attempts. Web application firewalls and security headers including Content Security Policy can provide additional protection layers, though these should not be considered as primary defenses. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the broader application ecosystem. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software systems, and represents a technique categorized under ATT&CK matrix tactic TA0001 (Initial Access) and technique T1566 (Phishing). Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to recognize and report suspicious links, as the social engineering aspect of this vulnerability makes user awareness critical to overall security posture.