EUVD-2025-17983CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Lifecycle Timeline
3Description
Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.22 and earlier are affected by an Improper Authorization vulnerability that could result in Privilege escalation. A low privileged attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction. A successful attacker can abuse this to achieve session takeover, increasing the confidentiality and integrity impact as high.
Analysis
CVE-2025-46840 is an Improper Authorization vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 and earlier that allows low-privileged attackers to escalate privileges and bypass security controls, potentially achieving session takeover. The vulnerability requires user interaction and has a CVSS score of 8.7 with high confidentiality and integrity impact. While no active exploitation in the wild (KEV status) or public proof-of-concept is currently documented, the network-accessible attack vector and low attack complexity combined with privilege escalation capabilities make this a high-priority patch candidate for organizations running affected AEM instances.
Technical Context
This vulnerability stems from CWE-285 (Improper Authorization), a class of flaws where access control mechanisms fail to properly validate user permissions before granting access to protected resources or operations. In the context of Adobe Experience Manager—an enterprise content management and digital experience platform—the authorization bypass likely affects access control lists (ACLs), role-based access control (RBAC), or permission inheritance mechanisms used to protect administrative functions, content repositories, or user management features. The vulnerability manifests through improper validation of user privileges when handling requests that require elevated permissions, allowing authenticated users with basic privileges to perform actions normally restricted to administrators or higher-privileged roles. This is particularly critical in AEM as it manages sensitive content, user data, and system configurations across enterprise environments.
Affected Products
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) versions 6.5.22 and earlier. Specific affected versions include: AEM 6.5.0 through 6.5.22 (all minor releases). CPE representation: cpe:2.3:a:adobe:experience_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* where version <=6.5.22. Organizations should also verify if they run AEM Cloud Service variants, as patch timelines may differ. Adobe's advisory for this CVE (expected on Adobe Security Bulletin or PSIRT pages) should be consulted for exact patch versions (e.g., 6.5.23 or later). Related products sharing AEM components (Adobe Campaign, Adobe Sites, etc.) may also be affected depending on their dependency chain.
Remediation
Immediate actions: (1) Identify and catalog all AEM 6.5.22 and earlier instances in your environment using vulnerability scanning tools or manual version checks via AEM admin console; (2) Apply the latest security patch immediately—Adobe typically releases patches as 6.5.23 or equivalent; check Adobe's official security advisories and PSIRT updates for exact patch versions; (3) Prioritize patching of internet-facing AEM instances and those handling sensitive content; (4) As interim mitigation pending patch deployment: (a) restrict network access to AEM instances via WAF, firewall rules, or IP whitelisting, limiting exposure to low-privilege authenticated users; (b) enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for AEM user accounts to reduce session takeover risk; (c) monitor access logs and session activity for anomalous privilege escalation attempts or unauthorized administrative actions; (d) review and audit current user role assignments and remove unnecessary elevated privileges; (5) After patching, validate remediation by re-scanning with security tools and reviewing authorization controls in test environments before production deployment. References: Monitor Adobe Security Bulletins (https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html) and Adobe PSIRT communications for official patch links and detailed remediation guidance.
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