CVE-2025-46848 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise content management and digital asset publishing. The platform's architecture includes numerous form-based interfaces and content editing capabilities that allow users to input and manage various types of data through web forms. These forms are essential components for content creators, marketers, and administrators who need to populate pages with dynamic content. The vulnerability in question affects the core form processing mechanisms within AEM's content management system, specifically targeting how the platform handles user input in form fields. This flaw exists in versions 6.5.22 and earlier, indicating a widespread impact across a significant portion of the platform's user base. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious JavaScript code through form fields that are subsequently stored within the system's database. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists and can be executed whenever any user accesses the affected page, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple victims over time.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability occurs at the application layer where user input is processed through AEM's form handling components. When a user submits data through a vulnerable form field, the system fails to adequately filter or encode special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript markup. This processing gap allows attackers to inject script tags, event handlers, or other malicious code that gets stored in the database alongside legitimate content. The vulnerability manifests when the stored data is later retrieved and rendered within web pages without proper sanitization. The attack vector specifically targets form fields that are designed to accept rich text or dynamic content, where the platform's security controls are insufficient to prevent script injection. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Scripting flaws that occur when applications fail to properly validate and sanitize user input. The flaw represents a classic stored XSS scenario where the malicious script is permanently stored on the server and executed each time the page is loaded. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1566.001 which covers Phishing via Social Media, as attackers can use this flaw to create malicious content that appears legitimate to end users. The attack chain typically involves an attacker with low privilege access to the system who can submit content through available forms, then wait for other users to view the malicious content, thereby executing the payload in their browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the victim's browser context. Once executed, the injected JavaScript can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify page content, or even harvest sensitive information from the victim's browsing session. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that attackers don't need administrative access or elevated permissions to cause significant damage. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AEM is used for internal collaboration platforms, customer portals, or marketing content management. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the attack can persist for extended periods, potentially affecting hundreds or thousands of users who access the affected pages. Security teams face challenges in detecting this type of attack as the malicious code is embedded within legitimate content, making it difficult to distinguish between normal and malicious submissions. The vulnerability also impacts the platform's integrity and trustworthiness, as users may unknowingly interact with compromised content while performing routine tasks. Organizations using AEM for sensitive content management or customer-facing applications face heightened risk, as this vulnerability could be leveraged to conduct more sophisticated attacks including credential theft or data exfiltration. The remediation process requires immediate patching of the affected AEM versions, but organizations must also conduct thorough audits of existing content to identify and remove any previously injected malicious scripts. System administrators should implement additional monitoring and input validation measures to detect anomalous content submissions. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content. According to industry best practices and security frameworks, this type of vulnerability highlights the necessity of implementing comprehensive security controls throughout the application lifecycle. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar attacks. The impact on user trust and organizational security posture can be significant, as this vulnerability enables attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate their privileges within the application environment.