CVE-2025-46927 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 • 06/12/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise content management and digital marketing operations. The platform's architecture includes robust form handling mechanisms that process user inputs through various channels including web forms, content authoring interfaces, and administrative portals. These form fields serve as critical entry points for data collection and user interaction within the digital experience ecosystem. The vulnerability under examination affects the core input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM framework, specifically targeting the validation and rendering processes of form elements. This flaw exists within the platform's content management and user interface components that handle form data submission and display operations.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the AEM form processing pipeline. Attackers with low privilege access can manipulate form fields by injecting malicious JavaScript code directly into the data storage layer. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied data containing script tags or malicious payloads is stored in the AEM repository and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization in the browser context. The flaw typically occurs in areas where form data is persisted and later displayed in web interfaces, creating a persistent vector for cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability can be exploited through various form elements including text inputs, rich text editors, and custom form fields that lack adequate security controls. The attack chain involves initial data injection followed by subsequent execution when legitimate users view the compromised content, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where multiple users interact with shared content repositories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to encompass significant security implications for enterprise digital infrastructure. Organizations utilizing AEM 6.5.22 and earlier versions face potential data breaches, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive content management systems. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that malicious payloads remain persistent and can affect multiple users over extended periods, potentially compromising user sessions and accessing restricted administrative functions. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The vulnerability particularly affects content authors and administrators who regularly interact with form data, creating a high-risk scenario where legitimate users inadvertently execute malicious code. The attack surface includes not only public-facing forms but also internal administrative interfaces where form validation may be less stringent, potentially enabling privilege escalation scenarios.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding controls within the AEM platform. Organizations should implement comprehensive content sanitization mechanisms that strip or encode potentially malicious script elements before storage and rendering. The recommended approach includes deploying web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, implementing strict input validation rules, and ensuring proper output encoding for all user-supplied data. Regular security patches and updates from Adobe should be prioritized to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their AEM implementations, focusing on form handling components and user input validation mechanisms. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit the impact of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous form data patterns. The mitigation strategy should align with industry standards including CWE-79 for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities and ATT&CK framework techniques related to command and control operations and credential access through web application exploitation. Additionally, security awareness training for content authors and administrators should emphasize the importance of validating form inputs and recognizing potential XSS attack vectors.