Introduction
Remote attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution on enterprise content management systems running Adobe Experience Manager Forms JEE up to version 6.5.23.0. This vulnerability, CVE-2025-54253, impacts organizations relying on AEM Forms for digital workflows and exposes critical business data and processes to compromise.
About Adobe and AEM Forms: Adobe is a leading provider of digital content management and creative software, with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) as a core enterprise platform. AEM Forms is widely deployed by large organizations for dynamic web forms and business process automation, making vulnerabilities in this platform highly impactful across industries.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-54253 is a misconfiguration vulnerability (CWE-16) in Adobe Experience Manager Forms on Java Enterprise Edition (JEE), affecting versions 6.5.23.0 and earlier. The vulnerability enables remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting improper configuration within the AEM Forms JEE platform. The attack vector is network-based, with low attack complexity, no required privileges, and no user interaction. The scope is changed, meaning exploitation can impact resources beyond the initial vulnerable component.
Key technical points:
- Vulnerability discovered by Assetnote researchers Shubham Shah and Adam Kues
- Public proof-of-concept code is available
- No user interaction or authentication required
- Exploitation is possible over the network
- The root cause is improper configuration within AEM Forms JEE (specific technical exploit details are not disclosed by Adobe)
The vulnerability is particularly critical for internet-facing AEM Forms deployments, as it allows attackers to bypass security mechanisms and gain code execution capabilities on affected systems. The existence of public proof-of-concept code increases the risk of exploitation.
Patch Information
Adobe has released a security update for Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms on Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) to address critical vulnerabilities that could lead to arbitrary code execution and arbitrary file system read. The update is available for AEM Forms versions 6.5.23.0 and earlier. Users are advised to update their installations to version 6.5.0-0108 to mitigate these vulnerabilities. For detailed update instructions, please refer to Adobe's official documentation.
Patch Reference:
Detection Methods
Detecting vulnerabilities in web applications like the Xpro Elementor Addons plugin and Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms requires a multifaceted approach. Below are strategies to identify and monitor such security issues:
Insecure Deserialization Detection in AEM Forms:
- Static Code Analysis: Analyze the codebase to identify deserialization processes that may not validate or sanitize input data, potentially leading to code execution vulnerabilities.
- Dynamic Analysis: Monitor the application during runtime to detect unexpected behaviors or errors that could indicate exploitation attempts.
XML External Entity (XXE) Injection Detection in AEM Forms:
- Static Analysis: Review code that parses XML to ensure that external entity processing is disabled or properly configured to prevent unauthorized file access.
- Dynamic Testing: Send crafted XML payloads containing external entities to the application and observe responses for signs of unauthorized data access.
Struts2 DevMode Misconfiguration Detection in AEM Forms:
- Configuration Review: Check the application's configuration files to ensure that the 'struts.devMode' setting is disabled, as enabling it can expose debugging interfaces that may be exploited.
- Log Analysis: Monitor logs for access to debugging endpoints or unusual error messages that could indicate unauthorized access attempts.
General Monitoring and Detection Practices:
- Log Monitoring: Implement centralized logging and real-time monitoring to detect anomalies, such as unexpected input patterns or access to sensitive endpoints.
- Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Deploy IDS to identify and alert on known attack signatures and unusual network traffic patterns.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct periodic reviews of the application's security posture, including code audits and configuration assessments, to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.
Detection References:
- https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/xpro-elementor-addons/vulnerability/wordpress-xpro-addons-for-elementor-plugin-1-4-6-1-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
- https://slcyber.io/assetnote-security-research-center/struts-devmode-in-2025-critical-pre-auth-vulnerabilities-in-adobe-experience-manager-forms/
Affected Systems and Versions
- Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms on Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) versions 6.5.23.0 and earlier are vulnerable
- All configurations of AEM Forms JEE up to and including 6.5.23.0 are affected
- Internet-facing deployments are at highest risk
Vendor Security History
Adobe has a history of addressing critical vulnerabilities in AEM, including previous issues involving remote code execution, cross-site scripting, and misconfiguration. The vendor typically provides timely patches and detailed advisories. Assetnote researchers have previously identified multiple critical vulnerabilities in AEM Forms, indicating ongoing security challenges for the platform.