CVE-2025-64858 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.23 and earlier. Stored XSS occurs when malicious scripts are permanently stored on a target server, such as within form fields, and then served to users. In this case, a low-privileged attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code into vulnerable input fields that are not properly sanitized or encoded. When other users access pages containing these fields, the injected script executes in their browsers under the context of the vulnerable site. This can lead to theft of session cookies, credentials, or manipulation of the displayed content, compromising confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability requires the attacker to have some level of privilege to submit data and relies on user interaction (visiting the affected page) for exploitation. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 reflects a medium severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required, user interaction required, and impacts on confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be considered a risk. Adobe Experience Manager is widely used by enterprises for web content management, making this vulnerability a concern for organizations relying on AEM for their digital presence. The lack of an official patch link suggests that remediation may require vendor updates or configuration changes. Proper input validation, output encoding, and security headers are critical to mitigating this risk.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those using Adobe Experience Manager to manage public-facing websites or internal portals. Exploitation could allow attackers to steal session tokens or credentials from users, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or administrative functions. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, and potential regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised. The integrity of web content can also be undermined, enabling phishing or defacement attacks that erode user trust. Although availability is not directly impacted, the indirect consequences of compromised confidentiality and integrity can disrupt business operations. Organizations with high volumes of web traffic or those in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, or government services are at higher risk. The requirement for user interaction and privileges to inject scripts somewhat limits the attack scope but does not eliminate the threat, especially in environments with many users or contributors to web content.

1. Apply patches or updates from Adobe as soon as they become available to address this vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager. 2. Implement strict input validation on all form fields to reject or sanitize potentially malicious input before storage. 3. Use proper output encoding (e.g., HTML entity encoding) when rendering user-supplied data to prevent script execution. 4. Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS attacks. 5. Limit privileges for users who can submit content to the minimum necessary to reduce the risk of malicious input. 6. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews focusing on input handling and output rendering in AEM implementations. 7. Monitor web traffic and logs for unusual activity that may indicate exploitation attempts, such as unexpected script injections or anomalous user behavior. 8. Educate content managers and developers about secure coding practices and the risks of XSS vulnerabilities. 9. Consider using web application firewalls (WAF) with rules designed to detect and block XSS payloads targeting AEM. 10. Isolate critical administrative interfaces and restrict access to trusted networks or VPNs to reduce exposure.