CVE-2025-43769 in Liferay
Summary
by MITRE • 08/23/2025
Stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Liferay Portal 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.131, and Liferay DXP 2024.Q3.1 through 2024.Q3.8, 2024.Q2.0 through 2024.Q2.13, 2024.Q1.1 through 2024.Q1.12 and 7.4 GA through update 92 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script or HTML via components tab.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2025
This stored cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP platforms affecting multiple version ranges including 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.131 and various DXP 2024 quarterly releases. The flaw permits remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application through the components tab functionality, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect all users interacting with the vulnerable system. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS attack because the malicious code is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected users access the compromised content, making it particularly dangerous for widespread impact.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the components tab processing logic. When users submit data through this interface, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied content before storing it in the database. This allows attackers to embed malicious javascript payloads or HTML code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected content. The vulnerability specifically affects the components tab functionality which is commonly used for managing application features and user interface elements, making it a critical attack surface within the platform architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable complete session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks. Remote attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal user credentials, access sensitive corporate data, or perform unauthorized actions within the application. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code persists and affects all future users who interact with the compromised content, creating a long-term security risk. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which represents Cross-site Scripting flaws in software applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for "Modify System Image" through malicious code injection.
Organizations using affected Liferay versions should immediately implement mitigations including input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and regular security updates from Liferay. The recommended approach involves implementing strict content sanitization policies that filter out potentially malicious input before storage, combined with proper output encoding when rendering user-supplied content. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular vulnerability scanning to identify potential exploitation vectors. The mitigation strategy should align with industry best practices for XSS prevention as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, ensuring comprehensive protection against this persistent threat vector that could compromise entire user sessions and sensitive data repositories.