CVE-2023-22261 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE record pertains to a security feature bypass vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager, specifically affecting versions 6.5.15.0 and earlier. The vulnerability, known as "AEM URL Redirection to Untrusted Site Security feature bypass," allows a low-privilege authenticated attacker to redirect users to malicious websites by exploiting a URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') vulnerability. User interaction is required for the exploitation of this issue.

Understanding CVE-2023-22261

This section delves deeper into the nature of CVE-2023-22261, providing insights into the vulnerability and its impact.

What is CVE-2023-22261?

CVE-2023-22261 is a security feature bypass vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager that enables attackers to redirect users to malicious websites through URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect').

The Impact of CVE-2023-22261

The impact of this vulnerability is classified as medium severity with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.4. It poses a risk of low confidentiality and integrity impact, with no availability impact. The vulnerability requires low privileges and user interaction for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22261

This section provides technical details related to CVE-2023-22261, including vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager allows low-privilege authenticated attackers to exploit a URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') issue, leading to redirection of users to malicious websites.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected product is Adobe Experience Manager, with versions 6.5.15.0 and earlier being vulnerable to this security feature bypass vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation of CVE-2023-22261 requires a low-privilege authenticated attacker to manipulate URLs and trick users into clicking on malicious links, leveraging the open redirect vulnerability for redirecting users to untrusted sites.

Mitigation and Prevention

In order to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-22261 and prevent potential exploitation, certain steps need to be taken.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations using Adobe Experience Manager versions 6.5.15.0 and earlier should implement security patches provided by Adobe promptly.
Security teams should monitor and restrict user access to mitigate the risk of exploitation by low-privilege authenticated attackers.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regular security assessments and audits should be conducted to identify and address vulnerabilities in software applications, such as URL redirection flaws.
User awareness training can help in educating individuals about the risks posed by interacting with unknown or suspicious links.

Patching and Updates

Adobe has released security updates to address the vulnerability in Experience Manager versions affected by CVE-2023-22261. Applying these patches and keeping systems up to date is crucial in mitigating the risks associated with this security feature bypass vulnerability.