CVE-2025-46864 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 • 06/11/2025
Adobe Experience Manager suffers from a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that compromises the security of web applications built on this platform. This vulnerability exists in versions 6.5.22 and earlier, representing a significant risk to organizations that rely on AEM for content management and digital experience delivery. The flaw allows attackers with low privileges to inject malicious scripts into form fields that are subsequently stored and executed when victims access the affected pages. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM form processing components, creating an attack surface where user-supplied data can be manipulated to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established XSS attack pattern where malicious input is first submitted through a form field and then persisted within the application's database or storage mechanism. When other users view the page containing the vulnerable form data, their browsers execute the injected JavaScript code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This stored nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the system, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access to victims' browsers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, specifically targeting the failure to properly encode data before rendering it in web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks, access sensitive user data, or compromise entire user sessions. Organizations utilizing AEM for content management, digital marketing, or customer experience platforms face heightened risk as attackers can exploit this flaw to manipulate content, steal user credentials, or redirect traffic to phishing sites. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that even users with minimal access rights can potentially compromise the system, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with less restrictive access controls. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape, particularly when evaluating the security posture of web applications built on Adobe's platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected AEM installations to version 6.5.23 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their AEM applications to prevent unauthorized script injection. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies, regular security scanning of form fields, and monitoring for suspicious input patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper data sanitization practices and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in their digital infrastructure. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against persistent threats in modern web applications.