Adobe Experience Manager Childlist Selector Injection Scanner
This scanner detects the use of Adobe Experience Manager Injection in digital assets. It identifies improper input validation leading to potential cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Detecting this issue helps prevent malicious code execution in browsers.
Short Info
Level
Medium
Single Scan
Single Scan
Can be used by
Asset Owner
Estimated Time
10 seconds
Time Interval
10 days 8 hours
Scan only one
URL
Toolbox
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Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is a web-based content management system used to create, manage, and optimize customer experiences across digital channels. It is widely used by marketers and digital experience teams to deliver personalized content to websites, mobile applications, and social media platforms. AEM is utilized by businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises to large corporations, to maintain brand consistency and improve customer engagement. Typically, it is employed in environments where dynamic content needs to be managed efficiently. Organizations leverage AEM for its robust scalability and integration capabilities with other Adobe Creative Cloud products. Overall, AEM serves as a comprehensive platform for digital marketing and content management.
The vulnerability detected involves improper input validation allowing injection attacks. Injection vulnerabilities arise when an attacker can insert untrusted data into a program that treats it as part of a command or query. In this particular case, AEM is susceptible to cross-site scripting (XSS), a form of injection attack where scripts are injected into web pages viewed by other users. Properly exploiting this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code or script in the context of a user's browser. The flaw lies within the application's ability to switch content types from JSON to HTML, leading to potential XSS exposure. Successfully exploiting this issue may allow unauthorized access to sensitive information or session hijacking.
Technical details reveal that the injection vulnerability is triggered through the misuse of the "childlist" selector in AEM. The critical endpoint is defined by the URL pattern with the .childrenlist.html suffix. Attackers craft input containing invalid HTML and JavaScript, which when processed, triggers the XSS vulnerability. This improper handling of content types is central to the flaw. The context switching between JSON and HTML formats allows scripts to be executed by browsers. The endpoint fails to sanitize input correctly, making it ripe for cross-site scripting attacks. Robust input validation mechanisms and content-type headers are recommended to address these issues.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to severe security risks. Attackers leveraging this flaw may be able to execute malicious scripts in a user's session, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability could also be used for session hijacking, where an attacker impersonates an authenticated user. It may further enable phishing attacks by directing users to fake login pages. Infected scripts can record keystrokes, access cookies, or redirect users to malicious sites. Overall, successful attacks may result in data breaches, tarnished reputation, and financial loss.
