CVE-2025-4599 in Liferay
Summary
by MITRE • 08/05/2025
The fragment preview functionality in Liferay Portal 7.4.3.61 through 7.4.3.132, and Liferay DXP 2024.Q4.1 through 2024.Q4.5, 2024.Q3.1 through 2024.Q3.13, 2024.Q2.0 through 2024.Q2.13, 2024.Q1.1 through 2024.Q1.13 and 7.4 update 61 through update 92 was found to be vulnerable to postMessage-based XSS because it allows a remote non-authenticated attacker to inject JavaScript into the fragment portlet URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-4599 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the fragment preview functionality of Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP platforms. This issue affects multiple version ranges spanning from Liferay Portal 7.4.3.61 through 7.4.3.132 up to the latest DXP 2024.Q4 releases, as well as various Q3, Q2, and Q1 quarterly updates. The flaw specifically resides in how the system handles postMessage communications within the fragment portlet URL processing mechanism, creating an avenue for malicious code injection. The vulnerability's impact extends across all versions within these release ranges, making it particularly concerning for organizations maintaining multiple instances of these software versions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the fragment preview feature's message handling system. When processing fragment portlet URLs, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters that are passed through postMessage interfaces. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code directly into the URL parameters, which then executes within the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability specifically exploits the postMessage API's message passing mechanism, where untrusted data from external sources is not adequately filtered or escaped before being incorporated into the page's execution context. This design flaw creates a persistent XSS vector that can be triggered through crafted fragment URLs without requiring authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-4599 is severe and multifaceted, as it enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This capability can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within affected environments. Attackers can craft malicious fragment URLs that, when accessed by unsuspecting users, would execute malicious scripts that could steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify page content. The vulnerability's exposure to non-authenticated attackers further amplifies its threat potential, as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the affected systems without requiring prior authentication. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and data compromise, particularly in environments where users may be tricked into clicking malicious links or where the fragment preview functionality is exposed to external users.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Liferay, which address the postMessage-based XSS vulnerability through proper input sanitization and validation. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and block suspicious postMessage traffic patterns and malformed URL parameters. Input validation controls should be strengthened at the application level to ensure all fragment portlet URL parameters undergo strict sanitization before processing. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing content security policies that restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded and disable unnecessary fragment preview functionality where possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, Cross-site Scripting, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls to prevent exploitation of this postMessage-based XSS vector. Regular security assessments and monitoring of fragment preview functionality usage should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain ongoing protection against similar vulnerabilities.