CVE-2024-43712 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/11/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier are affected by a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the victim's browser. This issue occurs when data from a user-controllable source is improperly sanitized before being used in the Document Object Model (DOM) of a web page, leading to the execution of malicious scripts. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction, such as tricking a victim into clicking a link or navigating to a malicious website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier contain a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in web application architecture. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a DOM-based XSS flaw where malicious scripts can be executed within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization of user-controllable data before it is incorporated into the Document Object Model of web pages, creating an attack surface where malicious input can be interpreted as executable code rather than mere data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input flows through the application's DOM manipulation functions without adequate validation or encoding. When attackers craft malicious payloads that exploit this flaw, they can inject script code that executes in the victim's browser session, potentially compromising the entire user context. The attack vector requires user interaction, typically through social engineering techniques that trick victims into clicking malicious links or visiting compromised websites, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with web applications. This dependency on user interaction aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering methods used to gain initial access to systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, modifying page content, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even performing unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The DOM-based nature of the vulnerability means that the attack occurs entirely within the browser's client-side environment, making traditional server-side security measures ineffective against this specific threat. Organizations using affected Adobe Experience Manager versions face significant risk of data breaches, credential theft, and potential system compromise through this vector.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's DOM manipulation functions. Security measures must include proper sanitization of all user-controllable data before it is processed or rendered within the browser environment, following established security practices such as the OWASP DOM-based XSS Prevention Cheat Sheet. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities, disable unnecessary DOM manipulation functions, and ensure that all affected systems are updated to patched versions of Adobe Experience Manager. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should be implemented to reduce the success rate of social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of all DOM-based functions to identify potential additional attack vectors and ensure that the applied fixes do not introduce new security weaknesses into the application.