CVE-2024-52835 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 version 6.5.21 and earlier contains 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 exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is persisted and subsequently rendered in web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious script payloads through vulnerable form fields, which are then stored in the application's database or storage mechanisms. When other users navigate to pages containing these compromised fields, their browsers execute the injected scripts within the context of their authenticated sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, session hijacking, or data exfiltration. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payloads persist even after the initial injection, making the attack vector particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that align with multiple techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can leverage the executed JavaScript to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, modifying page content, or even executing additional payloads through techniques like DOM-based XSS or chained attacks. The vulnerability's presence in AEM 6.5.21 and earlier versions indicates a widespread risk across organizations that have not yet upgraded to patched releases, as these systems serve as content management platforms that often contain sensitive administrative interfaces and user data. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that AEM systems frequently manage web properties, user authentication mechanisms, and content that may contain confidential information. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face potential breaches where attackers can escalate privileges, access restricted administrative functions, or compromise the integrity of web applications that rely on AEM for content delivery and management.
Effective mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several security controls and system updates. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions that have addressed this specific XSS vulnerability, as Adobe typically releases security patches and updates to remediate such flaws. Additionally, implementing robust input validation mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before storage, combined with proper output encoding techniques that escape special characters in rendered content, can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules should be configured to detect and block common XSS payload patterns, while security headers such as Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide additional protection layers against script execution. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of AEM environments are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in custom components or extensions. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular monitoring of user activities within AEM systems can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can continuously monitor for XSS vulnerabilities in their web applications and provide real-time alerts when potential security issues are detected. These comprehensive security measures, when properly implemented and maintained, can effectively protect against exploitation of this stored XSS vulnerability while maintaining the operational integrity of AEM platforms.