CVE-2022-30679 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) version 6.5.14 and earlier. This vulnerability arises when an attacker crafts a malicious URL referencing a vulnerable page within AEM and convinces a victim to visit it. Upon visiting, the malicious JavaScript code embedded in the URL is executed within the context of the victim's browser session. Because the vulnerability is reflected, the malicious script is not stored on the server but immediately reflected back in the HTTP response. The attacker requires only low privileges to craft the URL and does not need to authenticate to the system. The vulnerability exploits improper input validation or output encoding on the vulnerable page, allowing injection of executable script code. Execution of such scripts can lead to theft of session cookies, user impersonation, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim, or redirection to malicious sites. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely used enterprise content management system like AEM poses a significant risk. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, which is a common and well-understood web application security issue. The lack of a published patch link suggests that remediation may require applying vendor updates or configuration changes once available. The vulnerability was reserved in May 2022 and publicly disclosed in December 2022, indicating that organizations should have had time to assess and mitigate the risk. However, the medium severity rating suggests that while impactful, exploitation requires user interaction (victim clicking a malicious link) and does not directly compromise the server or backend systems.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Adobe Experience Manager for their web content management and digital experience platforms. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users, potentially including administrators or content editors. This can result in unauthorized content changes, data leakage, or further lateral attacks within the organization. Additionally, attackers could use the vulnerability to deliver malware or phishing payloads to users, damaging organizational reputation and trust. Given the widespread use of AEM in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and media across Europe, the vulnerability could affect critical services and sensitive data. The requirement for user interaction limits automated exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as phishing campaigns can be targeted and effective. The reflected XSS can also be leveraged as a stepping stone for more complex attacks, including privilege escalation or persistent cross-site scripting if combined with other vulnerabilities. Overall, the vulnerability threatens confidentiality and integrity of user sessions and data, with moderate impact on availability since it does not directly disrupt service operation.

1. Apply official Adobe patches or updates as soon as they become available for Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.14 and earlier versions. Monitor Adobe security advisories for release information. 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-controllable inputs, especially those reflected in HTTP responses. Use context-aware encoding to prevent script injection. 3. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers, mitigating the impact of XSS attacks. 4. Educate users and administrators about phishing risks and the dangers of clicking on suspicious links, particularly those purporting to be from trusted internal sources. 5. Review and restrict user privileges in AEM to the minimum necessary, reducing the potential damage if a session is hijacked. 6. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on web application vulnerabilities, including XSS. 7. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual request patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation. 8. Consider implementing web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block reflected XSS attack vectors targeting AEM. These mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on specific controls relevant to AEM environments and the nature of reflected XSS.