CVE-2025-46991 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, 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 a classic XSS flaw. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R) to trigger the payload. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component, and the impact affects confidentiality and integrity to a limited extent (C:L/I:L), but not availability (A:N). 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 administrators or content authors who access the affected pages. 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 web pages.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant due to the widespread use of Adobe Experience Manager in government, finance, healthcare, and large enterprises across Europe. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, compromise of user sessions, and potential defacement or manipulation of public-facing websites. This could damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches if personal data is exposed), and disrupt business operations. The medium severity score suggests moderate risk; however, the potential for chained attacks or targeting privileged users increases the threat level. Organizations relying heavily on AEM for critical web services or customer interactions are particularly at risk, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain footholds or escalate privileges within their networks.

Organizations should prioritize the following mitigation steps: 1) Monitor Adobe’s official security advisories for patches addressing CVE-2025-46991 and apply updates promptly once available. 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all form fields within AEM to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 3) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 4) Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on web application vulnerabilities, including XSS. 5) Educate users, especially administrators and content editors, about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or interacting with untrusted content. 6) Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules tuned to detect and block XSS payloads targeting AEM. 7) Limit privileges of users who can submit content to reduce the impact of a low-privilege attacker. These measures, combined with timely patching, will reduce the attack surface and mitigate exploitation risks.