CVE-2025-49547 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 11.4 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, such as an administrator or content editor, visits a page containing the injected malicious script, the script executes in their browser context. This can lead to unauthorized actions such as session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized modification of content. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. 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) is necessary for exploitation. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting other components or users. No known exploits are reported in the wild yet, and no patches have been linked at the time of publication. The vulnerability’s impact primarily concerns confidentiality and integrity, with no direct availability impact. Stored XSS in a widely used enterprise content management system like AEM can be leveraged for persistent attacks, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on AEM for web content delivery and management.

For European organizations using Adobe Experience Manager, this vulnerability poses risks to the confidentiality and integrity of their web content and user sessions. Attackers exploiting this flaw could execute malicious scripts in the browsers of administrators or content managers, potentially leading to theft of authentication tokens, unauthorized content changes, or the spread of malware to site visitors. Since AEM is often used by government agencies, large enterprises, and media companies in Europe, exploitation could lead to reputational damage, data breaches involving sensitive information, and disruption of digital services. The medium CVSS score indicates moderate risk; however, the changed scope and stored nature of the XSS increase the potential impact because the malicious script persists and affects multiple users. European organizations with public-facing AEM instances are particularly at risk, as attackers can target users who access these web portals. Additionally, compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations means that exploitation leading to data leakage could result in regulatory penalties.

1. Immediate mitigation should include reviewing and sanitizing all user inputs in AEM form fields to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 2. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers accessing AEM-managed sites. 3. Restrict privileges for users who can submit content to only those necessary, minimizing the risk from low-privileged attackers. 4. Monitor and audit AEM logs for unusual input patterns or script injections. 5. Apply any available Adobe patches or updates as soon as they are released. 6. Use web application firewalls (WAF) with rules targeting XSS payloads specific to AEM. 7. Educate administrators and content editors about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or content within the AEM environment. 8. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on input validation and XSS vulnerabilities within AEM deployments. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on privilege management, CSP implementation, and proactive monitoring tailored to AEM’s architecture.