CVE-2025-49552: Adobe Connect DOM-Based XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49552 Overview

CVE-2025-49552 is a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Connect versions 12.9 and earlier. A high-privileged attacker can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary scripts in a victim's browser. Exploitation requires user interaction: the victim must navigate to a crafted web page. A successful attacker can achieve session takeover, leading to high impact on confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability carries a changed scope, meaning the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component. The issue is tracked under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables session takeover in Adobe Connect, allowing attackers to hijack authenticated user sessions and execute arbitrary scripts within the application context.

Affected Products

Adobe Connect versions 12.9 and earlier
Apple macOS (host platform)
Microsoft Windows (host platform)

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-14 - CVE-2025-49552 published to NVD
2026-04-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49552

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in client-side JavaScript that processes attacker-controlled data without proper sanitization. DOM-based XSS occurs when web applications read data from a controllable source, such as the URL fragment or query parameters, and pass it to a sink that supports dynamic code execution. In Adobe Connect 12.9 and earlier, the application writes untrusted input into the Document Object Model without neutralizing HTML or script characters.

Because the payload executes within the victim's authenticated session, attackers can read session tokens, exfiltrate sensitive meeting data, or perform actions on behalf of the user. The changed scope reflects the ability to affect resources beyond the vulnerable component itself.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of user-supplied input written to a DOM sink in client-side code. The application trusts data flowing into JavaScript execution contexts without applying contextual output encoding or input validation, allowing crafted payloads to be interpreted as executable script.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires both high privileges and user interaction. An authenticated high-privileged attacker crafts a malicious URL or web page containing the XSS payload. When a victim navigates to the crafted page, the embedded script executes in the context of Adobe Connect. The attacker leverages this execution to steal session identifiers and take over the victim's session. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-70 for vendor-confirmed technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49552

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected outbound requests from browser sessions to attacker-controlled domains following Adobe Connect access
Adobe Connect URLs containing suspicious URL fragments, encoded <script> tags, or javascript: schemes in query parameters
Anomalous session activity such as concurrent logins from disparate geolocations for the same Adobe Connect account

Detection Strategies

Inspect web proxy and gateway logs for requests to Adobe Connect endpoints containing reflected payload patterns such as onerror=, onload=, or document.cookie references
Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reporting to identify script execution from unauthorized sources
Correlate Adobe Connect authentication logs with session token reuse from unexpected IP addresses or user agents

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable detailed access logging on Adobe Connect servers and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation
Monitor for phishing campaigns referencing internal Adobe Connect URLs that may carry crafted XSS payloads
Alert on session cookie access patterns inconsistent with normal user workflows

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49552

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Connect to the fixed version released by Adobe in advisory APSB25-70
Audit privileged Adobe Connect accounts and rotate session tokens for users who may have been targeted
Restrict administrative access to Adobe Connect to trusted networks and enforce multi-factor authentication

Patch Information

Adobe published security patches addressing CVE-2025-49552 in advisory APSB25-70. Administrators should apply the vendor-supplied update for Adobe Connect to remediate versions 12.9 and earlier. Review the advisory for the exact fixed build numbers and platform-specific installers.

Workarounds

Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and restricts script sources to trusted origins
Train high-privileged Adobe Connect users to avoid clicking unsolicited links and to verify URLs before navigation
Use browser isolation or remote browser technology for administrators accessing Adobe Connect until patches are applied

bash

# Example Content-Security-Policy header to reduce DOM XSS impact
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; frame-ancestors 'self'