CVE-2025-46973 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. This DOM-based XSS attack can lead to unauthorized actions such as session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized modification of web content. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N) shows that the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges, and user interaction is necessary for exploitation. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. Given AEM's role as a content management system widely used by enterprises for web content delivery, exploitation could compromise sensitive user data and undermine trust in affected web applications.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Adobe Experience Manager for managing public-facing websites or intranet portals. Successful exploitation could lead to theft of user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information, potentially enabling further unauthorized access to internal systems. This could result in data breaches, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to exposure of personal data. Additionally, attackers could manipulate web content to distribute malware or phishing campaigns targeting European users. The medium severity rating suggests moderate risk, but the widespread use of AEM in sectors such as government, finance, and healthcare in Europe elevates the potential consequences. The requirement for low privileges to exploit means insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged to initiate attacks. The need for user interaction implies that social engineering or targeted phishing could facilitate exploitation.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigation steps: 1) Immediately audit all instances of Adobe Experience Manager to identify versions 6.5.22 and earlier and plan for prompt upgrade to a patched version once available. 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all form fields to prevent injection of malicious scripts, applying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources. 3) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns indicative of XSS attempts. 4) Conduct user awareness training to reduce the risk of successful social engineering that could trigger the vulnerability. 5) Monitor web server and application logs for unusual activity or repeated attempts to inject scripts. 6) Limit privileges of users who can submit data to vulnerable forms to reduce attack surface. 7) Use multi-factor authentication to mitigate the impact of credential theft resulting from exploitation. 8) Engage in regular security testing, including automated scanning and manual penetration testing focused on XSS vectors in AEM deployments.