CVE-2026-48310: 
Adobe Experience Manager vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-48310 is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files and directories outside the intended access scope. The vulnerability affects AEM as a Cloud Service versions up to and including 2026.5.0, AEM 6.5 LTS up to and including SP2, and AEM 6.5 up to and including version 6.5.25.0. It was disclosed and patched on July 14, 2026, as part of Adobe security bulletin APSB26-74. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.6 (High), with a changed scope reflecting the potential to access resources beyond the vulnerable component (Adobe Advisory).

The vulnerability is classified as CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), where AEM fails to properly sanitize or restrict user-supplied path inputs before using them in file system operations. An unauthenticated attacker can craft a malicious network request containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../ or URL-encoded equivalents) to escape the intended directory boundary and access arbitrary files on the underlying file system. No user interaction is required, and the attack can be automated (NVD SSVC marks it as "automatable"). Relevant attack patterns include CAPEC-126 (Path Traversal), CAPEC-64 (Using Slashes and URL Encoding to Bypass Validation), and CAPEC-78/79 (Using Escaped/Alternate Slash Encodings) (Adobe Advisory).

Successful exploitation results in unauthorized read access to sensitive files and directories on the AEM server's file system, including potential exposure of configuration files, credentials, private keys, or other sensitive data stored outside the web root. The vulnerability has a high confidentiality impact with no integrity or availability impact. The changed scope indicates that resources beyond the vulnerable AEM component itself may be exposed, increasing the risk of lateral movement or further compromise if sensitive credentials or internal network details are disclosed (Adobe Advisory).

As of the time of disclosure, there is no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of active in-the-wild exploitation (Adobe Advisory). The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. The EPSS score is approximately 0.55%, indicating a low but non-negligible probability of exploitation in the near term. However, the vulnerability is network-accessible, requires no authentication or user interaction, and is classified as automatable, making it an attractive target if a public exploit becomes available.

1. Reconnaissance: Identify internet-facing Adobe Experience Manager instances using tools like Shodan or Censys, filtering for AEM-specific HTTP response headers or login pages. Confirm the version is 6.5.25.0 or earlier, 6.5 LTS SP2 or earlier, or AEM Cloud Service 2026.5.0 or earlier.
2. Craft path traversal payload: Construct an HTTP request targeting an AEM endpoint that processes file paths or resource URLs, embedding path traversal sequences such as ../../, URL-encoded variants (%2e%2e%2f), or double-encoded forms to bypass input validation.
3. Send unauthenticated request: Submit the crafted request to the vulnerable AEM endpoint without any authentication credentials, as no privileges are required for exploitation.
4. Read arbitrary files: If successful, the server returns the contents of the targeted file (e.g., /etc/passwd, AEM configuration files, or JCR repository credentials), which can be used for further reconnaissance or lateral movement (Adobe Advisory).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to AEM endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, %2e%2e/, %2e%2e%2f, or double-encoded variants in URL parameters or request paths; repeated requests from a single IP to file-serving endpoints.
• Logs: AEM access logs showing requests with traversal patterns in the URI (e.g., /content/../../etc/passwd); HTTP 200 responses to requests containing .. sequences that should have been blocked; requests to non-standard resource paths returning file content.
• File System: Evidence of access to sensitive files outside the AEM web root (e.g., OS configuration files, JCR credentials, or private keys) reflected in file access timestamps.
• Process: Unexpected outbound connections from the AEM server following file read activity, potentially indicating credential harvesting and follow-on attack attempts.

Adobe has released patches addressing CVE-2026-48310 via security bulletin APSB26-74 (published July 14, 2026). The fixed versions are: AEM as a Cloud Service 2026.6.0 or later; AEM 6.5 LTS SP2 with Hotfix for NPR-43972; and AEM 6.5 version 6.5.25 with Hotfix for NPR-43971. Organizations should apply the appropriate patch immediately. As interim mitigations, implement network access controls to restrict exposure of AEM instances to trusted networks, and monitor logs for path traversal patterns (Adobe Advisory).

The CIS (Center for Internet Security) published an advisory noting multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe products patched in July 2026, including this issue, flagging the potential for arbitrary code execution across the Adobe product suite. The vulnerability was noted in the CISA weekly vulnerability bulletin (SB26-201). Community coverage has been limited, with aggregator sites such as VulnDB, CVEFeed, and Tenable Nessus plugin 327021 tracking the issue. No significant researcher commentary or social media discussion has been observed beyond routine vulnerability tracking.