CVE-2024-52827 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 for cross-site scripting and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.1001 for credential access through web application attacks. The flaw exists in the form field processing functionality where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being stored and subsequently rendered back to users. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious javascript code into form fields that are later displayed to other users, creating a persistent threat vector within the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM content management system. When users submit data through forms, the application fails to sufficiently escape special characters or validate the content against known malicious patterns before storing the data in its database or content repository. This stored data is then retrieved and displayed without proper sanitization, allowing the injected javascript to execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates as a stored XSS attack rather than a reflected one, meaning the malicious payload persists and can affect multiple victims over time.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can steal user sessions, modify content, redirect users to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive information from authenticated users. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the attack remains effective until the malicious content is removed from the system, potentially allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to the compromised AEM instance. Organizations using affected AEM versions face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their content management systems.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves applying the latest security patches released by Adobe to remediate the XSS flaw in AEM versions 6.5.21 and earlier. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can serve as effective defensive measures. Web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious script patterns, while regular security audits should monitor for unauthorized content modifications. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies that restrict script execution and limit the potential impact of successful XSS attacks. The mitigation strategy should include user education on recognizing potentially malicious content and establishing robust monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized modifications to form fields and content repositories.