CVE-2025-46857 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/11/2025
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.22 and earlier are affected by a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. If a low privileged attacker is able to convince a victim to visit a URL referencing a vulnerable page, malicious JavaScript content may be executed within the context of the victim's browser.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2025
Adobe Experience Manager suffers from a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that poses significant security risks to organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability affects versions 6.5.22 and earlier, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple releases of the software. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through carefully crafted URLs that reference vulnerable pages within the AEM interface. When a victim visits such a maliciously constructed URL, the browser executes the injected script within the victim's browsing context, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling further exploitation.
The technical nature of this reflected XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within AEM's web application components. Attackers exploit this weakness by crafting URLs that contain malicious script payloads which are then reflected back to the victim's browser without proper sanitization. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The reflected nature means that the malicious payload is not stored on the server but is instead delivered through a crafted request that causes the server to reflect the script back to the user agent. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various vectors including email links, chat messages, or compromised websites that redirect users to malicious URLs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive content management features. Low privileged attackers who can manipulate users into visiting malicious URLs gain significant privileges within the AEM environment, potentially allowing them to access restricted content, modify pages, or escalate their privileges further. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to compromise the integrity of the content management system and potentially gain access to confidential organizational data. This risk is particularly concerning for enterprises that rely on AEM for managing sensitive customer information, proprietary content, and business-critical digital assets. The vulnerability could also facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as web application attacks or social engineering campaigns that leverage the trust relationship between users and the AEM platform.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager versions that address this vulnerability, as recommended by Adobe's security advisories. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation mechanisms and output encoding across all AEM components that process user-supplied data. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should be implemented to prevent social engineering attacks that leverage this XSS vulnerability, as users may inadvertently click on malicious links that lead to exploitation. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any other potential vulnerabilities within their AEM implementations and consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies to further protect against XSS attacks. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Modify System Image" and T1059.007 which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript', indicating the potential for attackers to manipulate system behavior and execute malicious code within the browser context.