CVE-2026-48297: Adobe Experience Manager XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2026-48297 Overview

CVE-2026-48297 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.24, LTS SP1, 2026.04, and earlier releases. A low-privileged authenticated attacker can inject malicious JavaScript into vulnerable form fields. The payload executes in a victim's browser when they navigate to a page containing the affected field. The vulnerability has a changed scope, meaning the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component itself. Adobe addressed the issue in security advisory APSB26-56.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject persistent JavaScript that executes in other users' browser sessions, enabling session theft, content manipulation, and phishing within trusted AEM-hosted pages.

Affected Products

Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.24 and earlier
Adobe Experience Manager LTS SP1 and earlier
Adobe Experience Manager 2026.04 and earlier (including AEM Cloud Service)

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-09 - CVE-2026-48297 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-48297

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-79] Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. AEM fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input submitted through certain form fields. The unsanitized input is stored server-side and later rendered into HTML responses without adequate output encoding.

Because the payload is persisted, every visitor to the affected page receives the malicious script. The attack requires user interaction, as the victim must browse to the page hosting the injected payload. The changed scope indicates that successful exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable AEM component, such as authenticated sessions for adjacent applications sharing the browser context.

The EPSS probability is 0.03%, reflecting limited observed exploitation activity at the time of publication.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input validation and output encoding in form field handling routines within AEM. User-controlled values are accepted, stored in the repository, and later emitted into the rendered DOM without context-appropriate escaping. Script content embedded within these values executes as part of the page.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a network-reachable AEM instance and a low-privileged account with permission to author or submit content into a vulnerable form field. The attacker submits a crafted payload containing JavaScript. When a higher-privileged user or site visitor opens the page rendering the stored value, the script executes under the origin of the AEM site. Capabilities include exfiltrating session cookies, performing actions as the victim, or redirecting users to attacker-controlled infrastructure.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB26-56 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-48297

Indicators of Compromise

Form field values in the AEM JCR repository containing <script>, javascript:, event handler attributes such as onerror= or onload=, or encoded variants like <script>
Unexpected outbound requests from authenticated user browsers to unfamiliar domains shortly after loading AEM-hosted pages
Anomalous account activity tied to authoring or content-contributor accounts submitting unusual payload-shaped strings

Detection Strategies

Audit AEM content repositories for stored values containing HTML tags or JavaScript syntax in fields expected to hold plain text
Deploy a Content Security Policy (CSP) in report-only mode to surface unexpected inline script execution on AEM-rendered pages
Inspect web server and AEM dispatcher logs for POST requests to form endpoints carrying script-like payloads in submitted parameters

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward AEM access, authoring, and dispatcher logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation against authentication and session activity
Monitor for session token reuse from unexpected IP addresses or user agents following page loads on affected AEM URLs
Track changes to content authored by low-privileged users and alert on values containing HTML or script syntax in non-rich-text fields

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-48297

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the security updates referenced in Adobe Security Advisory APSB26-56 to all affected AEM on-premises, LTS, and Cloud Service deployments
Audit existing form field content for previously injected payloads and remove or sanitize any malicious entries
Review and tighten permissions for authoring and content-contributor roles to reduce the population of accounts capable of submitting input

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds covering AEM 6.5.24, LTS SP1, and the 2026.04 release train. AEM as a Cloud Service customers receive the fix through the standard Adobe-managed update channel. Consult APSB26-56 for the specific patched versions and upgrade paths.

Workarounds

Enforce a strict Content Security Policy on AEM-served pages to block inline script execution and untrusted script sources
Configure the AEM dispatcher to filter request parameters and reject submissions containing HTML or script syntax in fields that should not accept markup
Restrict form authoring and submission privileges to vetted accounts and require multi-factor authentication for all content-author logins

bash

# Example dispatcher filter rule to drop requests containing script tags in form parameters
/0100 { /type "deny" /url "*" /query "*<script*" }
/0101 { /type "deny" /url "*" /query "*javascript:*" }