CVE-2025-46856 is a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of user-controllable input within the Document Object Model (DOM) environment, allowing an attacker with low privileges to inject and execute malicious JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser. Exploitation requires the victim to interact with a specially crafted web page, which manipulates the DOM to trigger the XSS payload. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by enabling theft of session tokens, credentials, or other sensitive information accessible via the browser, and potentially allows unauthorized actions on behalf of the user. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, and user interaction needed. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. Given AEM's role as a widely used enterprise content management system, this vulnerability could be leveraged to compromise user sessions or deliver further malware within affected web applications.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Adobe Experience Manager for managing corporate websites, intranets, or customer portals. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, session hijacking, or defacement of public-facing websites, damaging reputation and trust. Additionally, attackers could use the XSS vector as a foothold for more advanced attacks such as phishing or delivering malware payloads. Given the medium severity and requirement for user interaction, the risk is moderate but non-negligible. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and e-commerce, which often use AEM for content delivery, may face regulatory and compliance repercussions if customer or personal data is compromised under GDPR. The vulnerability's exploitation could also disrupt business operations by undermining user confidence and requiring emergency incident response.

Organizations should prioritize upgrading Adobe Experience Manager to the latest version once Adobe releases a security patch addressing CVE-2025-46856. In the interim, implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of DOM-based XSS. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all user-controllable inputs within AEM custom components and templates. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules tuned to detect and block XSS attack patterns targeting AEM endpoints. Educate users to avoid clicking on suspicious links and implement browser security features such as enabling XSS filters. Regularly audit and monitor web application logs for unusual activity indicative of attempted exploitation. Finally, consider isolating AEM instances from critical internal networks to limit lateral movement if compromise occurs.