CVE-2025-46886 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 a page containing the compromised form field, the malicious script executes in their browser context. Stored XSS is particularly dangerous because the malicious payload is saved on the server and served to multiple users, increasing the attack surface and potential impact. The vulnerability requires low privileges but does require user interaction (the victim must visit the affected page). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, but user interaction needed, and a scope change (the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component). The impact includes limited confidentiality and integrity loss, with no direct availability impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation or output encoding in form fields, allowing script injection that executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim.

For European organizations using Adobe Experience Manager, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to web application security and user trust. A successful exploit could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as session tokens or personal data, violating GDPR requirements. The stored XSS could facilitate phishing attacks, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions if the victim has elevated privileges. Given that AEM is widely used by enterprises and public sector organizations across Europe for content management and digital experience delivery, exploitation could disrupt business operations and damage reputations. The medium severity score indicates moderate risk, but the scope change and potential for chained attacks (e.g., leveraging XSS to escalate privileges or deploy malware) increase the threat. Organizations in sectors with strict data protection regulations (finance, healthcare, government) are particularly vulnerable to compliance and legal repercussions if exploited.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigations: 1) Immediately audit and sanitize all user input fields in AEM forms to ensure proper input validation and output encoding, especially for HTML and JavaScript content. 2) Apply any available patches or security updates from Adobe as soon as they are released. 3) Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS attacks. 4) Conduct regular security testing, including automated scanning and manual penetration testing focused on XSS vulnerabilities in AEM deployments. 5) Restrict low-privileged user permissions to minimize the ability to inject malicious content. 6) Educate users and administrators about the risks of XSS and safe browsing practices to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. 7) Monitor logs and web traffic for unusual activity indicative of XSS exploitation attempts. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on immediate input sanitization, policy enforcement, and operational security tailored to AEM environments.