CVE-2025-43567 is a critical reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Connect versions 12.8 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding in certain form fields within the Adobe Connect web application. An attacker can craft a malicious URL containing specially crafted JavaScript code injected into these vulnerable form fields. When a victim user clicks on or visits the malicious link, the injected script executes in the context of the victim's browser session. This can lead to session hijacking, allowing the attacker to steal authentication tokens or cookies, thereby compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the victim's session. The vulnerability does not require any prior authentication (AV:N) and has a low attack complexity (AC:L), but it does require user interaction (UI:R) in the form of clicking or visiting a malicious link. The scope is changed (S:C) because the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, potentially impacting the entire Adobe Connect session. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.3, indicating a critical severity level. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the nature of reflected XSS vulnerabilities and the widespread use of Adobe Connect in enterprise environments make this a significant threat. The lack of a published patch at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for organizations to implement interim mitigations. Adobe Connect is widely used for virtual meetings, webinars, and remote collaboration, making it a high-value target for attackers aiming to compromise sensitive communications or gain unauthorized access to corporate networks.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe. Adobe Connect is commonly used across various sectors including education, government, finance, and large enterprises for remote collaboration and communication. Exploitation of this XSS vulnerability could lead to session hijacking, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users, access confidential meeting content, or inject further malicious payloads such as malware or ransomware. This can result in data breaches, intellectual property theft, disruption of business operations, and reputational damage. Given the criticality of the vulnerability and the potential for widespread exploitation, European organizations relying on Adobe Connect for sensitive communications face increased risk of targeted attacks, especially in sectors handling personal data protected under GDPR. The confidentiality and integrity impacts are high, but availability is not directly affected. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to lure victims into clicking malicious links, increasing the attack surface.

1. Immediate mitigation should include educating users to be cautious about clicking on unsolicited or suspicious links related to Adobe Connect sessions. 2. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts within Adobe Connect web pages. 3. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the vulnerable form fields. 4. Monitor Adobe Connect logs for unusual activity or repeated requests containing suspicious script patterns. 5. Restrict access to Adobe Connect portals to trusted IP ranges where feasible, reducing exposure to external attackers. 6. Apply strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data fields as soon as a vendor patch becomes available. 7. Regularly update Adobe Connect to the latest version once Adobe releases a security patch addressing this vulnerability. 8. Consider deploying multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Adobe Connect accounts to reduce the risk of session hijacking leading to full account compromise. 9. Conduct phishing awareness training to reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering attacks exploiting this vulnerability.