CVE-2022-35664 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.13.0 and earlier. This vulnerability arises when an attacker crafts a malicious URL referencing a vulnerable page within AEM. If a victim with low-privilege access to the AEM instance clicks on this URL, the malicious JavaScript embedded in the URL can execute within the victim's browser context. Reflected XSS vulnerabilities typically occur due to insufficient input validation or output encoding on user-supplied data that is reflected back in HTTP responses. In this case, the attacker does not require elevated privileges but does need to convince a user with legitimate access to the AEM environment to visit the malicious URL. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim, or the theft of sensitive information accessible within the victim's browser session. Although no public exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability is classified as medium severity by Adobe. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require updating to a newer AEM version or applying vendor-provided mitigations once available. Given the widespread use of Adobe Experience Manager in enterprise content management and digital experience platforms, this vulnerability poses a risk to organizations relying on AEM for web content delivery and management.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those using Adobe Experience Manager to manage public-facing or internal web portals. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate information, session hijacking of privileged users, and potential defacement or manipulation of web content. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to data breaches, and disrupt business operations. Since AEM is often integrated with other enterprise systems, the XSS vulnerability could serve as an entry point for more complex attacks, including lateral movement within the network. The requirement for low-privilege access means that attackers might leverage social engineering or phishing campaigns to trick legitimate users into clicking malicious links, increasing the attack surface. The reflected nature of the XSS also means that the attack is transient and requires user interaction, but the potential for targeted attacks against high-value users remains a concern. Given the regulatory environment in Europe, including GDPR, any data exposure resulting from exploitation could also lead to compliance violations and financial penalties.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Apply the latest security updates or patches from Adobe as soon as they become available, or upgrade to a non-vulnerable version of Adobe Experience Manager. 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within AEM to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 3) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers accessing AEM-managed content. 4) Conduct user awareness training focused on recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts that could deliver malicious URLs exploiting this vulnerability. 5) Monitor web server and application logs for unusual URL patterns or repeated access attempts to vulnerable pages. 6) Restrict access to AEM instances to trusted networks or VPNs where possible, minimizing exposure to external attackers. 7) Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block reflected XSS attack patterns targeting AEM. 8) Regularly perform security assessments and penetration testing on AEM deployments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities proactively.