CVE-2024-52816 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/11/2024
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier are affected by a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could be abused by an attacker to inject malicious scripts into vulnerable form fields. Malicious JavaScript may be executed in a victim’s browser when they browse to the page containing the vulnerable field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier contain a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant threat to web application security. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into form fields within the AEM interface. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the content management system's form processing components, creating an attack surface where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to manipulate the AEM environment in ways that can compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. When victims browse to pages containing the maliciously injected scripts, their browsers execute the attacker-controlled JavaScript code, which can perform actions such as stealing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even executing commands on behalf of the victim. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that once injected, the malicious code persists and affects all users who view the compromised content until the vulnerability is patched or the malicious input is removed.
The attack vector for this vulnerability typically involves an authenticated attacker with sufficient privileges to modify form fields within AEM, which could include content authors, administrators, or any user with write access to the affected components. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as the malicious code execution occurs through the browser environment. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations relying on AEM for content management, as it can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and potentially compromise the entire web application ecosystem.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.22 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output encoding controls. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, regular security scanning of form inputs, and monitoring for suspicious content modifications can provide additional defense layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when security controls are insufficiently implemented in content management systems that handle user-generated content.