CVE-2022-26596 in Liferay
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2022
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Journal module's web content display configuration page in Liferay Portal 7.1.0 through 7.3.3, and Liferay DXP 7.0 before fix pack 94, 7.1 before fix pack 19, and 7.2 before fix pack 8, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via web content template names.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2022
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the journal module of Liferay Portal versions 7.1.0 through 7.3.3, as well as Liferay DXP 7.0 before fix pack 94, 7.1 before fix pack 19, and 7.2 before fix pack 8. The flaw specifically affects the web content display configuration page where users can manage content templates and their associated names. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data when rendering template names in web content displays. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML code through the template name fields, which then get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected web content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious template names containing script tags or other HTML elements that will be executed when the content is rendered. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets configuration pages that are accessible to authenticated users, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or perform actions within the context of the victim's session. This vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework's technique T1531, which involves using access to valid accounts to gain access to additional compromised accounts and resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. When exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to inject persistent scripts that could steal cookies, modify page content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The affected environment includes organizations running Liferay Portal or DXP platforms where users have access to the journal module configuration interfaces, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where content management is widely used. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions and fix pack combinations indicates a prolonged exposure window, increasing the risk to organizations that have not yet applied the necessary security patches.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches for their specific Liferay versions to remediate this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include input validation improvements and proper output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly template names and other configuration parameters. Security teams should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious template name entries and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injections. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the Liferay platform or related applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the critical need for thorough input validation across all user-facing interfaces in content management systems.