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This vulnerability, CVE-2025-XXXX, is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaw within Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP. It specifically exists in the handling of the `backURL` parameter (_com_liferay_journal_web_portlet_JournalPortlet_backURL) in requests to the JournalPortlet. An attacker can craft a malicious URL containing JavaScript within this parameter. When an authenticated victim is tricked into clicking the link, the server reflects the untrusted input from `backURL` directly into the HTML response without proper encoding or validation. This causes the victim’s browser to execute the injected script within the security context of the Liferay site, allowing the attacker to steal session cookies or perform actions on the user’s behalf.
Platform: Liferay Portal/DXP
Version: < 5.0.196
Vulnerability: Reflected XSS
Severity: Moderate
date: 2025-08-19
Prediction: 2025-09-02
What Undercode Say:
`curl -s “http://vulnerable-liferay/group/guest/journal?p_p_id=com_liferay_journal_web_portlet_JournalPortlet&_com_liferay_journal_web_portlet_JournalPortlet_backURL=javascript:alert(document.domain)”`
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How Exploit:
Craft malicious URL with JavaScript payload in the `_com_liferay_journal_web_portlet_JournalPortlet_backURL` parameter. Social engineer an authenticated user to click the link, leading to script execution in their browser and potential session hijacking.
Protection from this CVE:
Update to version 5.0.196. Implement strict output encoding for all user-supplied data reflected in responses. Deploy a Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate impact of XSS.
Impact:
Session hijacking, unauthorized actions on behalf of the user, defacement.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
Extra Source Hub:
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