CVE-2025-46851 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 and earlier. This vulnerability allows a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code into vulnerable form fields within the AEM interface. When a victim subsequently accesses the affected page, the malicious script executes in their browser context. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity (both low), but not availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patch links have been provided yet. Stored XSS in AEM is particularly concerning because AEM is widely used for enterprise content management and web experience delivery, often hosting public-facing websites and portals. Successful exploitation could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed in the context of the victim user, potentially including administrators or content authors. The requirement for user interaction (visiting the malicious page) and low privileges for the attacker lowers the barrier for exploitation, but the medium CVSS score reflects limited impact on availability and moderate impact on confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability's presence in a widely deployed enterprise CMS platform makes it a significant risk for organizations relying on AEM for digital experience management.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-46851 can be substantial due to the widespread use of Adobe Experience Manager in government portals, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and large enterprises. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, such as user credentials or personal data, violating GDPR requirements and potentially resulting in regulatory penalties. Additionally, attackers could manipulate content or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users, undermining trust in digital services and causing reputational damage. The stored nature of the XSS means malicious scripts persist on the server, increasing the risk of widespread impact across multiple users. Given the interconnected nature of European digital services and the emphasis on secure digital transformation, this vulnerability could be leveraged for targeted attacks against high-value targets, including public sector websites and critical infrastructure portals. The medium severity score suggests that while the vulnerability is not critical, it still poses a meaningful risk that should be addressed promptly to prevent exploitation and data breaches.

1. Immediate mitigation should include reviewing and sanitizing all user input fields in AEM forms to prevent injection of malicious scripts. Implement strict input validation and output encoding consistent with OWASP XSS prevention guidelines. 2. Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of potential XSS payloads. 3. Limit privileges of users who can submit content to only those necessary, and monitor for unusual content submissions or script injections. 4. Conduct thorough code and configuration reviews of AEM instances to identify and remediate vulnerable form fields. 5. Apply any available patches or updates from Adobe as soon as they are released. In absence of official patches, consider temporary workarounds such as disabling vulnerable components or restricting access to affected pages. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of XSS and encourage cautious behavior when interacting with web content, especially in administrative interfaces. 7. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with rules tuned to detect and block common XSS attack patterns targeting AEM. 8. Regularly audit logs and monitor for indicators of compromise or exploitation attempts related to this vulnerability.