CVE-2025-47012 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 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 platform for content management and digital experience delivery. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields that are subsequently stored and executed when other users view the affected content. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the AEM form processing components, creating an attack surface where untrusted data enters the system through user input fields and persists in the application's database or storage mechanisms. Attackers with low privilege access can exploit this weakness to inject malicious JavaScript code that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when they interact with pages containing the compromised form fields.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. When a victim browses to a page containing the vulnerable form field, their browser executes the injected JavaScript code, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive session cookies, steal user credentials, or manipulate the victim's browser environment. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AEM is used for managing sensitive customer data, employee information, or business-critical content management workflows. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once the malicious payload is injected, it can affect multiple users over time, making it a persistent threat that remains active until the vulnerability is patched or the malicious content is removed from the system. The attack vector leverages legitimate form submission functionality within AEM, making it difficult for traditional security controls to distinguish between benign and malicious input.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability through the application of official Adobe patches and updates for AEM 6.5.22 and earlier versions, as the vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in victim browsers with the privileges of those users. Security teams should implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls, input validation controls, and output encoding mechanisms to mitigate the risk while awaiting official patches. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and T1059.007 for script execution via web shells, making it a multi-faceted threat that could be exploited for various malicious purposes. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their AEM implementations to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities in custom components and third-party integrations. Regular security monitoring and log analysis should be enhanced to detect suspicious form submissions and anomalous user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, as recommended by OWASP Top Ten and ISO 27001 security standards, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through comprehensive application security training and code review processes.