CVE-2025-46999 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 • 06/16/2025
Adobe Experience Manager represents a comprehensive digital experience platform that serves as a cornerstone for enterprise web content management and digital marketing solutions. The platform's widespread adoption across organizations makes it a prime target for cyber adversaries seeking to exploit vulnerabilities that could compromise large user bases. This particular vulnerability exists within the form handling mechanisms of AEM versions 6.5.22 and earlier, where the system fails to properly sanitize user input submitted through web forms. The stored nature of this cross-site scripting flaw means that malicious payloads are permanently stored within the application's database or content repository, making them persistent threats that remain active until manually removed. Attackers can leverage this weakness by submitting malicious JavaScript code through form fields that are subsequently rendered on web pages viewed by other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious script content that gets stored in the AEM form fields without adequate input validation or output encoding. When legitimate users navigate to pages containing these vulnerable fields, their browsers execute the malicious JavaScript code within the context of their authenticated sessions. This stored XSS vulnerability operates through the standard XSS attack vector where user-supplied data is reflected back to other users without proper sanitization. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of form inputs and inadequate output encoding mechanisms within the AEM content management system. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Cross-site Scripting vulnerability, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS variant where the malicious payload is stored server-side and executed when retrieved. The attack chain typically involves an attacker submitting malicious code through a web form, which gets stored in the system, and then executed when other users view the content containing the stored payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, modify content, or redirect users to malicious websites. A low privileged attacker with access to form submission functionality can potentially escalate their privileges or access restricted content by exploiting this vulnerability. The persistent nature of stored XSS makes this particularly dangerous as the malicious code remains active until manually addressed by administrators, providing attackers with extended time windows for exploitation. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of data managed through AEM, potentially exposing sensitive customer information, internal business data, or proprietary content. The attack surface includes not only the forms themselves but also any pages that display user-generated content, creating multiple potential entry points for adversaries. Organizations utilizing AEM for customer-facing applications, employee portals, or content management systems face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it could compromise the trust relationship between the organization and its users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected AEM instances to the latest available versions that contain security fixes for this specific XSS flaw. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their AEM implementations to prevent malicious code injection. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all AEM installations and review form handling configurations to ensure proper sanitization of user inputs. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution in browser contexts. Regular security monitoring and logging of form submissions can help detect anomalous input patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001: Phishing with Social Engineering and T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can use the stored XSS to establish persistent access and execute malicious commands. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing XSS vulnerabilities in content management systems. Regular security training for developers and administrators on secure coding practices and input validation techniques remains crucial for preventing similar vulnerabilities in custom AEM extensions and configurations.