CVE-2023-48442 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.18 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input sanitization in certain form fields within AEM, allowing a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that is persistently stored on the server. When a victim user accesses a page containing the compromised form field, the malicious script executes in their browser context. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), user interaction required (UI:R), scope changed (S:C), and impacts on confidentiality and integrity (C:L, I:L) but no impact on availability (A:N). The scope change (S:C) means the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially allowing the attacker to impact other parts of the system or user sessions. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the nature of stored XSS vulnerabilities makes them attractive for attackers aiming to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive data, or conduct phishing attacks within organizations using AEM. Adobe Experience Manager is widely used by enterprises for content management and digital experience delivery, making this vulnerability significant for organizations relying on AEM for their web presence and internal portals. The vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning the victim must visit the maliciously crafted page, which can be facilitated through social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns. The attacker needs only low privileges to inject the payload, increasing the risk if internal users or attackers with limited access can exploit this flaw.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-48442 can be substantial, especially for those using Adobe Experience Manager to manage public-facing websites, intranets, or customer portals. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, such as session tokens, personal data, or corporate credentials, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. The integrity of web content could be compromised, damaging organizational reputation and trust. Attackers could leverage the vulnerability to conduct targeted phishing or social engineering attacks by injecting deceptive content. Additionally, the scope change aspect means that the attacker might affect other components or users beyond the initially vulnerable module, increasing the risk of lateral movement or broader compromise within the digital ecosystem. While availability is not directly impacted, the indirect consequences of data leakage or trust erosion could have operational and financial repercussions. Given the widespread use of AEM in sectors like finance, government, retail, and media across Europe, the vulnerability poses a risk to critical digital infrastructure and customer-facing services.

Organizations should prioritize applying the latest security patches from Adobe as soon as they become available, even though no patch links are currently provided, monitoring Adobe advisories closely. In the interim, implement strict input validation and output encoding on all form fields within AEM to prevent injection of malicious scripts. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers, limiting the impact of any injected payloads. Conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focusing on XSS vectors in AEM deployments. Restrict low-privileged user permissions to only necessary functions to reduce the attack surface. Educate users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or content within AEM-managed sites. Monitor web logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block XSS payloads targeting AEM. Finally, maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling XSS incidents to minimize damage and recovery time.