CVE-2025-46843 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/11/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.22 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.22 and earlier contain a 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, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields within the AEM interface. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the form processing components, creating an attack surface where untrusted data can be persisted and subsequently executed in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a low privileged attacker to submit malicious input through form fields that are then stored within the AEM system. When other users navigate to pages containing these vulnerable form fields, the malicious JavaScript code executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further compromise of the affected systems. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods. The vulnerability impacts the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the AEM environment, as the injected scripts can access cookies, localStorage, and other browser resources that may contain sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users within the AEM system. This capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Through Persistence, where adversaries leverage stored XSS to maintain access and execute malicious activities. Organizations may face data breaches, unauthorized content modification, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content submission, making it a critical concern for enterprises using AEM for digital publishing, customer engagement, and content management services.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected AEM versions to address the underlying input validation and encoding flaws. Organizations should implement comprehensive content security policies and ensure proper input sanitization at all entry points within the application. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous script injection patterns, while regular security assessments should validate that all form fields properly encode output to prevent XSS exploitation. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and user privilege management can limit the potential damage from compromised accounts, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive AEM functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against persistent threats in enterprise content management systems.