CVE-2022-30680 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), specifically affecting versions up to and including 6.5.13.0. Reflected XSS vulnerabilities occur when untrusted user input is immediately returned by a web application without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code into a URL or request that is then executed in the victim's browser context. In this case, an attacker with low-privilege access to the AEM instance can craft a malicious URL referencing a vulnerable page. When a victim clicks this URL, the injected script executes within the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim, or theft of sensitive information accessible through the browser. The vulnerability requires the attacker to have at least low-level access to the AEM environment, which may be achievable through other means such as phishing or exploiting weaker credentials. There are no known exploits in the wild reported as of the publication date, and no official patches or updates have been linked in the provided data. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, which is a common and well-understood web application security weakness. Given the nature of AEM as a content management system widely used by enterprises for managing web content and digital assets, exploitation could impact the integrity of published content and the confidentiality of user sessions interacting with the affected web applications.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Adobe Experience Manager to manage customer-facing websites, intranets, or digital services. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the browsers of users, potentially leading to credential theft, session hijacking, or unauthorized actions performed with the victim's privileges. This can result in reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and regulatory non-compliance, particularly under the GDPR framework where personal data exposure is involved. Additionally, attackers could manipulate or deface web content, impacting the integrity and availability of digital services. Since AEM is often used by government agencies, financial institutions, and large enterprises in Europe, the risk extends to critical infrastructure and sensitive data environments. The requirement for low-privilege access to AEM somewhat limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as attackers may gain such access through other vulnerabilities or social engineering. The absence of known active exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation attempts.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting and monitoring access to Adobe Experience Manager instances, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access, and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-controllable inputs within AEM to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 3. Regularly audit and review AEM configurations and custom code for insecure coding practices that could exacerbate XSS risks. 4. Deploy web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules specifically designed to detect and block reflected XSS attack patterns targeting AEM. 5. Monitor logs and user activity for suspicious behavior indicative of attempted exploitation or reconnaissance. 6. Engage with Adobe support and security advisories to obtain and apply patches or updates as soon as they become available. 7. Conduct user awareness training to reduce the risk of phishing or social engineering attacks that could lead to low-privilege access. 8. Consider isolating AEM environments from public internet access where feasible or implementing network segmentation to limit exposure.