CVE-2024-52861 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 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 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 flaw is particularly dangerous because it enables persistent malicious code execution that can affect multiple users who view the compromised content, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish long-term footholds within web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, redirect victims to malicious domains, or even execute arbitrary commands within the context of the victim's browser. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can inject scripts that manipulate the Document Object Model of web pages, potentially altering content, stealing cookies, or capturing keystrokes from authenticated users. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected into the form fields, it persists in the application's database and will execute whenever other users access the affected pages, creating a continuous threat vector that can be exploited by multiple victims over time. This persistent characteristic significantly amplifies the potential damage compared to reflected XSS attacks, which typically require specific user interaction to be effective.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework's T1566.001 technique for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The vulnerability enables attackers to establish persistent access through malicious script injection and can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations running affected AEM versions should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper content sanitization of all user-supplied data. The recommended approach involves upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.22 or later versions, which contain patches addressing this specific XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper web application firewall rules, content security policies, and regular security scanning can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date web application security practices and demonstrates how even content management systems can become attack vectors when proper input sanitization measures are not implemented. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their AEM implementations to identify any additional vulnerabilities that may exist in custom components or extensions that could compound the risk associated with this stored XSS flaw.