CVE-2022-42119 in Liferay
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2022
Certain Liferay products are vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) via the Commerce module. This affects Liferay Portal 7.3.5 through 7.4.2 and Liferay DXP 7.3 before update 8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-42119 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the Liferay Commerce module that impacts multiple versions of both Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP platforms. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the commerce functionality, creating an exploitable condition where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into web applications. The affected versions include Liferay Portal 7.3.5 through 7.4.2 and Liferay DXP 7.3 before update 8, indicating a substantial attack surface across the Liferay ecosystem. The Commerce module specifically handles e-commerce functionalities including product listings, shopping cart operations, and customer interactions, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or execute unauthorized commands.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages within the commerce module. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit this weakness by injecting script code into parameters or fields that are subsequently displayed to other users. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly encode output data, allowing malicious scripts to execute within the context of other users' browsers. This flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers credential access through web application vulnerabilities. The exploitation typically involves creating specially crafted product descriptions, customer reviews, or other user input fields that contain malicious script tags that execute when viewed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent malware deployment. When successful, attackers can manipulate commerce functionality to redirect users to malicious sites, steal sensitive customer information, or even modify product listings to include malicious links. The vulnerability particularly threatens e-commerce operations where customer trust and data security are paramount, as compromised user sessions could lead to financial fraud and reputational damage. Organizations running affected Liferay versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to customer data, potential regulatory compliance violations, and disruption of commerce operations. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed through legitimate user interface elements, making detection more challenging and potentially allowing attackers to remain undetected for extended periods.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions represent a substantial risk to operational security and customer data protection. The recommended mitigation strategy includes applying the latest security updates from Liferay, implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and conducting thorough security assessments of all commerce-related functionality. Additional protective measures should encompass web application firewalls, enhanced monitoring of user input fields, and regular security scanning of commerce modules. Organizations should also consider implementing strict access controls and session management policies to minimize the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input sanitization practices, particularly within e-commerce platforms where user-generated content processing is common. Security teams should establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual patterns in commerce module usage and implement automated scanning tools to identify potential exploitation attempts.