CVE-2025-46852 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 validation or output encoding in certain form fields within AEM, allowing a low-privileged attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that is persistently stored on the affected system. 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 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, meaning the attack is network exploitable with low attack complexity, requires low privileges, and user interaction is needed. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating the vulnerability can affect 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. Stored XSS in a widely used enterprise content management system like AEM can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, especially if administrative or privileged users are targeted. Given AEM’s role in managing web content and digital assets, exploitation could also facilitate further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution through compromised websites.

For European organizations using Adobe Experience Manager, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of their web portals and internal content management workflows. Attackers exploiting this flaw could execute arbitrary scripts in the browsers of users, potentially including employees, partners, or customers. This could lead to theft of session cookies, unauthorized access to sensitive information, or manipulation of displayed content. Organizations in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and media, which often rely on AEM for their digital presence, could face reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR for data breaches, and operational disruptions. The cross-site scripting could also be leveraged to deliver secondary payloads, such as ransomware or spyware, increasing the threat severity. Since the vulnerability requires low privileges but user interaction, targeted phishing or social engineering campaigns could increase exploitation likelihood. The scope change in the CVSS vector suggests that the impact could extend beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially affecting other integrated systems or services within the enterprise environment.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigation steps: 1) Immediately audit all AEM instances to identify versions at or below 6.5.22 and plan for rapid upgrade to a patched version once Adobe releases a fix. 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-controllable inputs within AEM, especially form fields, to neutralize malicious scripts. 3) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting AEM forms. 4) Conduct regular security awareness training for users to recognize and avoid interacting with suspicious links or content that could trigger the stored XSS. 5) Monitor web server and application logs for unusual activity or repeated attempts to inject scripts. 6) Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers accessing AEM-managed sites. 7) Limit privileges of users who can submit content to AEM forms to reduce the risk of low-privilege attackers exploiting the vulnerability. 8) Establish incident response procedures to quickly isolate and remediate affected systems if exploitation is detected.