CVE-2024-52858 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 • 02/18/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier contain a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The flaw exists within the form handling mechanisms of AEM where user input is not properly sanitized 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 that can affect multiple victims over time.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the AEM platform's content rendering pipeline. When users submit data through web forms within the AEM interface, the system fails to adequately sanitize the input before storing it in the repository. This stored data is then later retrieved and displayed without proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding, allowing malicious scripts to execute in the browser context of unsuspecting users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates as a stored XSS attack rather than a reflected one, meaning the malicious payload persists in the system and can affect multiple users over time, making it a prime target for attackers seeking long-term access or data exfiltration capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations using Adobe Experience Manager for digital marketing, content management, and customer engagement platforms. The attack surface includes any form field within AEM that accepts user input, potentially encompassing contact forms, comment sections, user registration portals, and administrative interfaces. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the victim's browser. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that even if the initial attack is detected and mitigated, the malicious code continues to execute against all subsequent users who encounter the compromised content, creating a sustained threat that can compound over time.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect against this vulnerability while planning for the necessary platform upgrades. The most effective immediate measures include implementing comprehensive input validation at multiple layers, applying proper output encoding for all user-supplied content, and deploying web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all AEM forms and input fields to identify potential attack vectors and establish monitoring procedures for suspicious user activity. According to ATT&CK framework category T1566, this vulnerability aligns with the initial access tactics that adversaries use to establish footholds within target environments, making it essential to address promptly. The recommended long-term solution involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions that have been patched to address this specific vulnerability, while also implementing regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in the broader application ecosystem.