CVE-2022-35698 is a Stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Magento Commerce versions 2.4.4-p1 and earlier, as well as 2.4.5 and earlier. Stored XSS vulnerabilities occur when malicious scripts injected by an attacker are permanently stored on the target server, such as in a database, and then executed in the browsers of users who access the affected content. In this case, the vulnerability allows an authenticated attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that will be executed in the context of other users or administrators accessing the Magento Commerce platform. Notably, exploitation does not require user interaction beyond the attacker’s initial authenticated access, which lowers the barrier for successful exploitation. The vulnerability could lead to arbitrary code execution post-authentication, enabling attackers to perform actions such as session hijacking, privilege escalation, or manipulation of the Magento backend. Since Magento Commerce is a widely used e-commerce platform, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of online stores and their customer data. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability’s nature and the platform’s popularity make it a potential target for attackers seeking to compromise e-commerce operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-35698 can be substantial. Magento Commerce powers numerous online retail platforms across Europe, including SMEs and large enterprises. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive customer information such as payment details, personal data, and order histories, violating GDPR requirements and potentially resulting in heavy fines. Additionally, attackers could manipulate product listings, pricing, or order fulfillment processes, damaging business reputation and causing financial losses. The ability to execute arbitrary code post-authentication also raises the risk of further compromise, including lateral movement within corporate networks or deployment of malware. Given the critical role of e-commerce in the European economy, disruptions caused by this vulnerability could affect consumer trust and operational continuity. The lack of required user interaction for exploitation increases the likelihood of successful attacks once initial access is gained, emphasizing the need for prompt remediation.

1. Immediate application of security patches or updates provided by Adobe for Magento Commerce is the most effective mitigation. If patches are not yet available, organizations should implement virtual patching via web application firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting Magento. 2. Enforce strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data fields within Magento, especially those accessible to authenticated users, to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 3. Limit administrative and user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the risk of an attacker gaining authenticated access capable of exploiting this vulnerability. 4. Monitor Magento logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected script injections or unauthorized changes to content. 5. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on XSS vulnerabilities to identify and remediate similar issues proactively. 6. Educate Magento administrators and developers on secure coding practices related to XSS and the importance of timely updates. 7. Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers accessing the Magento platform.