CVE-2024-53974 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 02/19/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.21 and earlier are affected by a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could be abused by a low privileged 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 security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1566.1 for Initial Access through malicious content injection. The flaw exists in the form field processing mechanisms where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being stored and subsequently rendered in web pages. Attackers with low privilege access can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious JavaScript code through form fields that are later displayed to other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious script content and submits it through a vulnerable form field within the AEM interface. When other users browse to pages containing these stored form fields, the malicious JavaScript executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further malicious activities. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists on the server and affects multiple users over time rather than requiring immediate interaction with the specific submission. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can remain undetected for extended periods while continuously compromising user sessions and data.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-53974 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent access to affected systems. Organizations using AEM for content management, digital marketing, or enterprise portal solutions face significant risk as this vulnerability could compromise sensitive business data, user credentials, and system integrity. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that even users with minimal access rights could potentially cause substantial damage. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely heavily on user-generated content processing, making it a critical concern for organizations implementing collaborative content management systems.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and regular security updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves applying the latest security patches from Adobe while implementing additional defensive measures such as content security policies and web application firewalls. Regular security assessments and user access reviews should be conducted to minimize the attack surface and prevent unauthorized form submissions. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring for suspicious content submissions and establish incident response procedures to quickly address potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices in web applications, reinforcing industry standards that emphasize the need for robust security controls in content management systems.