CVE-2024-54048: Adobe Connect Reflected XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-54048 Overview

Adobe Connect contains a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting versions 12.6, 11.4.7, and earlier. An unauthenticated attacker can craft a malicious URL that, when visited by a victim, executes arbitrary JavaScript in the victim's browser session. The flaw is tracked as [CWE-79] Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.

Exploitation requires user interaction, typically through phishing or social engineering. Successful attacks can lead to session token theft, account takeover, or manipulation of content rendered within the Adobe Connect web interface. Adobe published the fix in security bulletin APSB24-99.

Critical Impact
Attackers can execute malicious JavaScript in a victim's browser context after luring the user to a crafted Adobe Connect URL, enabling session hijacking and data theft.

Affected Products

Adobe Connect version 12.6
Adobe Connect version 11.4.7 and earlier
All prior Adobe Connect releases without the APSB24-99 patch

Discovery Timeline

2024-12-10 - CVE-2024-54048 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-54048

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a reflected XSS flaw in Adobe Connect web components. Adobe Connect fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input reflected back into rendered HTML responses. An attacker embeds JavaScript payloads within a URL parameter processed by a vulnerable page.

When the victim clicks the crafted link, the server reflects the payload into the response without adequate output encoding. The browser then parses and executes the injected script within the trust context of the Adobe Connect domain. Because Adobe Connect handles authenticated conferencing sessions, exploitation can expose session cookies, meeting content, and user credentials.

The attack succeeds without authentication on the attacker side, but requires the victim to interact with the malicious link. The scope is changed, meaning the executed script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component's original security boundary.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation. A vulnerable Adobe Connect page accepts request parameters and includes them in HTML output without applying context-appropriate output encoding or input validation. This allows an attacker to break out of the intended HTML context and inject executable script content.

Attack Vector

The attack is delivered over the network through a crafted URL. The attacker distributes the malicious link via email, chat, or a compromised web page. When a victim with an active Adobe Connect session visits the URL, the injected JavaScript executes automatically in the browser. Payloads typically exfiltrate cookies, capture keystrokes, or trigger authenticated actions against the Adobe Connect application on the victim's behalf.

See the Adobe Security Update APSB24-99 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-54048

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Adobe Connect endpoints containing URL-encoded <script>, onerror=, javascript:, or document.cookie fragments in query parameters
Unexpected outbound requests from user browsers to attacker-controlled domains immediately after visiting an Adobe Connect URL
Referer headers in server logs pointing to external phishing infrastructure ahead of Adobe Connect access
Anomalous session activity, such as concurrent logins from geographically distant IP addresses after link clicks

Detection Strategies

Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that inspect query strings and POST bodies for reflected XSS payload patterns targeting Adobe Connect URIs
Enable browser Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting and forward violation reports to a monitored SIEM
Correlate email gateway telemetry with proxy logs to identify users who clicked Adobe Connect links embedded in inbound phishing messages

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest Adobe Connect access logs and proxy logs into a centralized SIEM for query-string pattern analysis
Alert on Adobe Connect responses that echo request parameters containing HTML or JavaScript metacharacters
Monitor endpoint browser processes for suspicious script execution spawning from Adobe Connect domains

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-54048

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Connect to a version listed as fixed in Adobe Security Update APSB24-99
Inventory all Adobe Connect deployments, including on-premises and hosted instances, to confirm patch status
Notify users to avoid clicking Adobe Connect links from untrusted or unsolicited sources until patching completes

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds addressing CVE-2024-54048 in bulletin APSB24-99. Administrators should apply the vendor-supplied updates for Adobe Connect 12.6 and 11.4.7 as directed in the advisory. Verify installed versions after upgrade and confirm the fix in a test environment before broad deployment.

Workarounds

Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and untrusted script sources on Adobe Connect origins
Configure a WAF to block requests containing common reflected XSS payload signatures against Adobe Connect endpoints
Restrict Adobe Connect access to authenticated users on trusted networks where operationally feasible
Provide phishing-awareness training that emphasizes the risks of clicking unsolicited Adobe Connect meeting or session URLs

bash

# Example WAF rule concept (ModSecurity syntax) to block reflected XSS patterns
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@rx (?i)(<script|onerror=|javascript:|document\.cookie)" \
    "id:1005401,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'Potential XSS targeting Adobe Connect'"