CVE-2025-46894 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 versions 6.5.22 and earlier contain a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and operates as a stored XSS flaw, meaning malicious payloads are permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access the affected content. The vulnerability specifically impacts form fields within the AEM interface, creating an attack vector where low-privileged users can inject malicious JavaScript code that persists in the system. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the application's data handling mechanisms, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling further exploitation of the affected environment. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege as it permits attackers with minimal access rights to execute code on behalf of other users who interact with the compromised form fields.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output encoding within AEM's form processing components. When users submit data through vulnerable form fields, the application fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable JavaScript code. This processing gap enables attackers to inject script tags or other malicious payloads that are then stored in the database and subsequently rendered in the browser when other users view the affected content. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious domains. Attackers can exploit this weakness to establish persistent access patterns within the application environment, potentially leading to privilege escalation or data exfiltration. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the system, creating a long-term threat that can affect multiple users over extended periods.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.22 and earlier face substantial operational risks from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where multiple users interact with form-based content management systems. The low privilege requirement for exploitation makes this vulnerability especially dangerous as it can be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts with minimal access rights. Security teams must consider the potential for cascading effects when this vulnerability is exploited, as successful XSS attacks can lead to full application compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive content management resources. The vulnerability also creates challenges for compliance with security frameworks such as iso 27001 and pci dss, which require organizations to implement proper input validation and output encoding controls to prevent such attacks. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the mitre attack framework under the initial access and execution phases, where adversaries establish footholds through web application vulnerabilities. The persistence of stored XSS payloads makes this vulnerability particularly attractive for attackers seeking long-term access to target environments, as it provides a reliable method for maintaining presence within the system without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate patching of Adobe Experience Manager to versions 6.5.23 or later, which contain the necessary security fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including enhanced input validation at multiple layers, implementation of content security policies, and regular security scanning of form-based interfaces. Security teams must conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all potentially affected form fields and ensure proper output encoding is implemented throughout the application. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous user behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection against known XSS attack patterns and establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle XSS vulnerabilities. The mitigation approach should align with industry best practices outlined in the owasp top ten and other security frameworks that emphasize the importance of defense in depth strategies for preventing cross-site scripting attacks. Regular security awareness training for developers and administrators is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future application developments and to ensure proper security practices are maintained throughout the software development lifecycle.