CVE-2025-46900 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 suffers from a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that enables low privilege attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into form fields within the application. This vulnerability exists in versions 6.5.22 and earlier, representing a significant security risk for organizations relying on this content management platform. The flaw allows attackers to persistently store malicious scripts that execute automatically when victims interact with the affected pages, creating a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and exfiltrate sensitive data. The vulnerability specifically targets form fields where user input is not properly sanitized or validated, enabling attackers to craft payloads that bypass standard security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the established patterns of stored XSS attacks where malicious code is injected into application input fields and subsequently stored on the server. When legitimate users view pages containing the compromised form fields, their browsers execute the injected JavaScript code within the context of their current session. This execution context provides attackers with the ability to perform actions on behalf of victims, including session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Modify Existing Service" and T1059.007 which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript". The attack chain typically involves initial access through a low privilege account, followed by payload injection into form fields, and finally execution when victims browse to affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session fixation, cookie theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Organizations using Adobe Experience Manager in environments with diverse user roles and sensitive data exposure face heightened risk, particularly in scenarios where administrators or content creators interact with user-submitted content. The vulnerability's persistence characteristic means that once exploited, the malicious scripts remain active until manually removed from the application's data store, potentially affecting numerous users over extended periods. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where content management systems handle sensitive business information and user data. The low privilege requirement for exploitation makes it accessible to attackers who may have minimal access rights within the system, potentially escalating to more significant compromises.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the Adobe Experience Manager platform. Organizations must ensure that all user-submitted content undergoes strict sanitization before storage, particularly in form fields and content areas. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTTP response headers can provide additional defense layers against script execution. Regular security updates and patches should be prioritized, with immediate attention to the Adobe security advisory addressing this vulnerability. Input validation should be implemented at multiple levels including client-side, server-side, and database storage to prevent injection attacks. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify potential injection points within the application. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious input patterns can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The mitigation approach should align with NIST cybersecurity framework principles and incorporate defense-in-depth strategies to protect against both current and emerging threats.