CVE-2025-46875 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2025
Adobe Experience Manager presents a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects versions 6.5.22 and earlier, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized code within victim browsers. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web interface, specifically in how it processes user-supplied parameters in URL queries. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads through crafted URLs that, when visited by unsuspecting users, execute within the victim's browser context with the privileges of the logged-in user.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code within query parameters or path segments that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in the browser. When a victim clicks such a link, the malicious code executes in their browser session, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing actions on behalf of the user. This reflected nature means the attack payload is not stored on the server but rather reflected back to the user through the web application's response, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional server-side defenses alone.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the AEM environment. Low-privileged attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially leading to data breaches, content manipulation, or further exploitation of the AEM platform. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that AEM is commonly used for enterprise content management and digital experience platforms, making compromised instances valuable targets for attackers seeking to access sensitive business information or disrupt operations.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including input validation at the application level, proper output encoding of user-supplied data, and the implementation of Content Security Policies to restrict script execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected AEM versions, implement web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conduct user awareness training to recognize suspicious links that may contain crafted XSS payloads. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be performed to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles, as this flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper sanitization of all user inputs in web applications.