CVE-2025-46849 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 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 AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, meaning the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges, and user interaction (visiting the page) is necessary. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by enabling script execution that could steal session tokens, perform actions on behalf of the user, or manipulate displayed content. Availability is not affected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches are linked yet. The vulnerability affects a widely used enterprise content management system, which is often deployed in web portals, intranets, and customer-facing websites, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on AEM for digital experience management.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Adobe Experience Manager is widely used by enterprises, government agencies, and large institutions across Europe to manage web content and digital experiences. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information such as user credentials, session cookies, or personal data, violating GDPR requirements. Attackers could also perform actions on behalf of users, potentially leading to data manipulation or unauthorized transactions. This could damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory fines, and disrupt business operations. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to lure users to malicious pages. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that once injected, the malicious payload can affect multiple users over time until remediated. Given the interconnected nature of European digital services, a successful attack could also facilitate lateral movement or further compromise within an organization's network.

Organizations should prioritize the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Immediately audit all AEM instances to identify and isolate vulnerable versions (6.5.22 and earlier). 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all form fields, especially those accepting user-generated content, to neutralize potentially malicious scripts. 3) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS attacks. 4) Educate users to recognize suspicious links and avoid interacting with untrusted content to minimize user interaction risk. 5) Monitor web application logs for unusual input patterns or repeated injection attempts. 6) Segregate AEM environments and limit privileges to reduce the attack surface. 7) Stay alert for official Adobe patches or advisories and apply updates promptly once available. 8) Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block XSS payloads targeting AEM. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on AEM-specific controls and operational practices.