CVE-2011-1570 in Liferay
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Liferay Portal Community Edition (CE) 6.x before 6.0.6 GA, when Apache Tomcat is used, allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a message title, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-2030.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-1570 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Liferay Portal Community Edition versions 6.x prior to 6.0.6 GA when deployed with Apache Tomcat. This security weakness specifically targets the message title parameter handling within the portal's messaging functionality, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under the classification of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that directly enables XSS attacks. Unlike CVE-2004-2030 which addressed different aspects of Liferay's messaging system, this particular flaw demonstrates how seemingly isolated vulnerabilities can persist across multiple versions and configurations, highlighting the importance of comprehensive security testing across all application components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users with access to the messaging system submit specially crafted message titles containing malicious script code. When these titles are rendered in the portal's user interface, the injected scripts execute within the browser context of other users who view the affected messages. This mechanism leverages the fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding within Liferay's rendering pipeline, where user-supplied data flows directly into HTML output without proper sanitization or encoding. The Apache Tomcat deployment environment amplifies the risk by providing the necessary web container infrastructure where these scripts can be executed, making the attack surface more accessible to remote threat actors. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to the portal system, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially exploit this flaw to compromise other users.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-1570 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to user sessions, potentially gaining administrative privileges if they can target system administrators or users with elevated permissions. The flaw also creates opportunities for phishing attacks where malicious users can craft convincing messages that appear legitimate while simultaneously executing harmful code. Organizations running vulnerable Liferay installations face significant risks including unauthorized data access, system compromise, and potential regulatory violations depending on the nature of data handled by the portal. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple 6.x versions indicates a systemic issue in the input validation mechanisms that could affect numerous deployments, making it a high-priority concern for security teams managing enterprise portal infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official Liferay patch version 6.0.6 GA which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. The remediation process should involve comprehensive testing of the patched environment to ensure no regressions in functionality while verifying that the XSS protection mechanisms are properly implemented. Security teams should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all user-supplied data, and regular security scanning of portal components. The mitigation strategy should align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to defense evasion and credential access, as attackers might use this vulnerability to establish persistent access or escalate privileges. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional protection layers. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should be enhanced to identify similar weaknesses in other portal components and ensure that all third-party applications and frameworks are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches.