CVE-2025-46956 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 • 06/13/2025
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, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields within the AEM interface. The flaw enables a low privileged attacker to exploit the system's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect all users who interact with the compromised form fields.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user inputs within AEM's form processing mechanisms. When users submit data through vulnerable form fields, the system fails to properly validate or escape the input before storing it in the database or rendering it in subsequent page displays. This allows an attacker to embed malicious JavaScript code within form fields that will execute whenever another user views the page containing the compromised data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application level and can persist across multiple user sessions, making it a long-term threat to the platform's security posture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft payloads that steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject additional malicious code that could compromise the entire user session. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that even users with minimal access rights could potentially leverage this vulnerability to gain broader system access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple user roles exist. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for 'Modify System Image' and T1078 for 'Valid Accounts' as it allows attackers to manipulate the system's behavior and potentially escalate privileges through session manipulation.
Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation of this vulnerability through the application of Adobe's official security patches and updates. The recommended approach includes upgrading to Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.23 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this XSS vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement enhanced input validation measures, including the deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script patterns. The implementation of Content Security Policies (CSP) can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed within the AEM environment. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors, while user access controls should be reviewed to minimize the potential impact of compromised accounts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect unusual script injection patterns and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's persistence characteristics make continuous monitoring essential for maintaining the security of affected systems.