CVE-2025-46855 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 • 06/11/2025
Adobe Experience Manager presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions 6.5.22 and earlier, allowing low-privileged attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into form fields that persist on the server. This vulnerability resides in the content management system's handling of user input within web forms, where insufficient output encoding and validation mechanisms fail to properly sanitize malicious payloads before rendering them in the browser context. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious scripts that execute automatically when legitimate users view pages containing the compromised form fields, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability specifically affects the AEM forms processing pipeline where user-submitted data is stored and later rendered without adequate sanitization measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within AEM's form handling components. When users submit data through web forms, the system stores this information in its content repository without sufficient sanitization of potentially malicious content. The stored data is then retrieved and rendered in subsequent page views without proper HTML escaping or context-aware encoding, creating an ideal environment for XSS exploitation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be triggered through various form elements including text fields, rich text editors, and other user input components within the AEM interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within the AEM environment. Low-privileged attackers who gain access to form submission capabilities can potentially escalate their privileges or exfiltrate sensitive data from the content management system. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that malicious payloads can remain active for extended periods, continuously affecting users who interact with the compromised pages. This threat vector can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AEM is used for managing sensitive corporate content, user registration forms, or customer data collection processes. The vulnerability may also enable attackers to bypass security controls that rely on user authentication or authorization checks, as the malicious scripts can execute within the context of authenticated user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the AEM application stack. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Adobe Experience Manager where available, as Adobe typically releases security updates addressing such vulnerabilities. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits of form handling components should be conducted to identify potential sanitization gaps. Input validation should enforce strict character set restrictions and reject any content containing potentially dangerous JavaScript patterns. The use of proper output encoding mechanisms when rendering user-supplied content in HTML contexts is essential to prevent XSS exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious input patterns, while maintaining detailed logging of form submissions for security analysis. Regular security training for developers working with AEM components can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced during application development phases. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through phishing or malicious input.