CVE-2025-53691 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 09/03/2025
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Sitecore Experience Manager (XM), Sitecore Experience Platform (XP) allows Remote Code Execution (RCE).This issue affects Experience Manager (XM): from 9.0 through 9.3, from 10.0 through 10.4; Experience Platform (XP): from 9.0 through 9.3, from 10.0 through 10.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-53691 represents a critical deserialization flaw in Sitecore's Experience Manager and Experience Platform components that enables remote code execution. This issue stems from the improper handling of untrusted data during the deserialization process, creating a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Sitecore XM and XP, spanning from version 9.0 through 9.3 and 10.0 through 10.4, indicating a widespread impact across the Sitecore ecosystem. The flaw exists within the core deserialization mechanisms that process data from external sources, particularly when these components receive input from web requests or API endpoints without adequate validation or sanitization.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker sends maliciously crafted data to a Sitecore instance that processes this data through unsafe deserialization routines. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-502, which specifically addresses the deserialization of untrusted data, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of remote services. The deserialization process in Sitecore likely involves converting serialized data structures back into executable objects, but when this process handles untrusted input without proper security controls, it creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute within the application's context. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted serialized objects through HTTP requests, potentially through API endpoints, form submissions, or file upload mechanisms that Sitecore uses for content management and user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to fully compromise affected Sitecore instances and potentially gain access to underlying infrastructure. Once successfully exploited, attackers can manipulate content, access sensitive user data, modify database records, and potentially establish persistence within the environment. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Sitecore's content management and digital experience platforms, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely heavily on these systems for their digital presence. Organizations using Sitecore XM and XP across their digital marketing and content management infrastructure face significant risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it an attractive target for automated attacks and widespread compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Sitecore, implementing network segmentation to limit access to Sitecore instances, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious deserialization attempts. The vulnerability requires careful monitoring of application logs for suspicious deserialization activity and implementation of input validation controls to prevent untrusted data from reaching vulnerable deserialization points. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive assessments of their Sitecore environments to identify all potential entry points where malicious data could be injected, and establish monitoring procedures to detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation of this vulnerability, as the remote execution capability provides attackers with significant operational flexibility and persistence mechanisms within affected systems.