Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-22271

Crypto Weakness in Adobe Experience Manager ≤ 6.5.16.0

Crypto Weakness
Published
22 March 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 5.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0082 54th percentile
Risk Priority 43 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-22271 is a medium-severity Weak Encoding for Password (CWE-261) vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager. Its CVSS base score is 5.3 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked in the top 46% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A04:2025 Cryptographic Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Experience Manager versions 6.5.15.0 (and earlier) are affected by a Weak Cryptography for Passwords vulnerability that can lead to a security feature bypass. A low-privileged attacker can exploit this in order to decrypt a user's password. The attack complexity is…

more

high since a successful exploitation requires to already have in possession this encrypted secret.

CWE(s)
CWE-261CWE-326

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552.006 Group Policy Preferences Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to find unsecured credentials in Group Policy Preferences (GPP).
attack.mitre.org →
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552.002 Credentials in Registry Credential Access
Adversaries may search the Registry on compromised systems for insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1110 Brute Force Credential Access
Adversaries may use brute force techniques to gain access to accounts when passwords are unknown or when password hashes are obtained.
attack.mitre.org →
T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-48471Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48492Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48486Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48506Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48464Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48459Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48523Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-22258Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48444Same product: Adobe Experience Manager
CVE-2023-48502Same product: Adobe Experience Manager

Affected Assets

adobe
experience manager
≤ 6.5.16.0
adobe
experience manager cloud service
≤ 2023.1.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 18 hardening rules · 7 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V11.4.2
  • V14.1.2
  • V14.2.4

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

PM-15 Security and Privacy Groups and Associations
addresses: CWE-326

Maintaining currency with technologies and practices reduces selection of encryption mechanisms that provide inadequate strength.

RA-4 Risk Assessment Update
addresses: CWE-326

Updated assessments identify when previously adequate encryption strength no longer meets current attack capabilities or compliance drivers.

SC-12 Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management
addresses: CWE-326

Establishment procedures require selection and generation of keys with adequate length and strength for the chosen algorithm.

SC-13 Cryptographic Protection
addresses: CWE-326

Specifies required cryptography types and parameters, preventing selection of inadequate encryption strength.

SI-2 Flaw Remediation
addresses: CWE-326

Prompt patching corrects inadequate encryption strength when vendors release updates that increase key sizes or algorithm security.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 mostly match
prevents

Proper cryptographic hashing for data-at-rest directly prevents trivial password encoding while the control addresses broader data protection needs.

PR.DS-02 mostly match
prevents

Strong encryption is required to protect confidentiality of data-in-transit.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened baselines can enforce minimum cryptographic algorithm and key-length settings.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.24 Use of cryptography mostly match
prevents

Requires appropriate use of cryptography, indirectly discouraging weak encoding schemes.

A.5.17 Authentication information partial match
degrades

Requires secure handling and protection of authentication information, directly addressing weak password encoding.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Enforces secure coding practices that would reject trivial password encoding.

A.8.5 Secure authentication partial match
degrades

Mandates secure authentication mechanisms, which precludes trivial encoding of passwords.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271756 OL 9 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230224 All RHEL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
  • V-257879 RHEL 9 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
  • V-224843 Systems requiring data at rest protections must employ cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure and modification of the information at rest. prevents CWE-326

References