CVE-2025-46848 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from improper sanitization of user input in certain form fields, allowing a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that is persistently stored on the server. When a victim accesses a page containing the vulnerable form field, the malicious script executes in their browser context. The vulnerability is classified as a DOM-based XSS (CWE-79), meaning the attack payload manipulates the Document Object Model in the victim's browser, potentially bypassing some traditional server-side input validation mechanisms. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N) shows that the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges, and user interaction is needed (the victim must visit the malicious page). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity to a limited extent but does not affect availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability is significant because AEM is widely used by enterprises for managing web content and digital experiences, and exploitation could lead to session hijacking, defacement, or theft of sensitive information from users interacting with compromised pages.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, especially for those relying on Adobe Experience Manager to deliver customer-facing websites, intranets, or portals. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the browsers of users, potentially leading to theft of authentication tokens, personal data, or manipulation of displayed content. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations due to data leakage), and financial losses. Since AEM is often used by government agencies, financial institutions, and large enterprises in Europe, the risk extends to critical sectors. The requirement for low privileges to exploit increases the threat surface, as even less privileged insiders or external attackers with limited access could attempt injection. The need for user interaction (visiting a malicious page) means phishing or social engineering could be used to trigger the attack. The changed scope indicates that the vulnerability could impact other components or users beyond the initially targeted system, potentially amplifying the damage.

1. Immediate mitigation should include implementing strict input validation and output encoding on all form fields within Adobe Experience Manager to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 2. Organizations should monitor and restrict the use of user-generated content in AEM, applying content security policies (CSP) to limit script execution origins. 3. Deploy web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting AEM. 4. Conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focused on client-side DOM manipulation to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. 5. Educate users and administrators about phishing risks and safe browsing practices to reduce the likelihood of successful user interaction exploitation. 6. Stay alert for official Adobe patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 7. Consider isolating or sandboxing vulnerable components to limit the scope of potential attacks. 8. Implement robust logging and monitoring to detect suspicious activities related to XSS attempts.