The issue arises because the anonymous user does not have the necessary read permissions for the /content directory. When using Sling context-aware configurations, access to the configuration resource is required. If the anonymous user lacks read permissions, the configuration cannot be retrieved, resulting in a null value.

To fix this issue, you need to grant read permissions to the anonymous user for the /content directory.

Steps to apply read permissions:

Access CRXDE Lite: Log into your AEM instance and navigate to CRXDE Lite (http://localhost:4502/crx/de).

Navigate to the /content Directory: In the CRXDE Lite interface, browse to the /content directory.

Set Permissions:

Right-click on the /content directory and select "Permissions".

Add the anonymous user (if not already present).

Grant read permissions to the anonymous user.

Save Changes: Apply the changes and ensure that they are saved correctly.

Test the Configuration: Log out of the AEM instance and test the context-aware configuration as an anonymous user to ensure that the configuration resource can now be retrieved.

By granting read permissions to the anonymous user for the /content directory, you allow access to the necessary configuration resources, resolving the issue.

References:

Adobe Experience Manager Security Permissions