CVE-2025-43769 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in multiple versions of Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP, specifically affecting versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.131 and various 2024 quarterly releases up to Q3.8. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, categorized under CWE-79. This flaw allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code via the components tab in the portal interface. Because it is a stored XSS, malicious payloads can be permanently saved on the server and executed in the browsers of users who access the affected components, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed with the victim’s privileges. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 4.6, indicating a medium severity level. The vector details show that the attack can be performed remotely over the network without authentication (AV:N, PR:H means high privileges required, UI:A means user interaction is needed), with low impact on confidentiality and integrity, and no impact on availability. The vulnerability requires user interaction, such as a user viewing the malicious content, and the attacker must have high privileges to inject the payload, which somewhat limits exploitation scope. No known exploits in the wild have been reported yet. The lack of available patches at the time of publication suggests that organizations must rely on mitigation strategies until official fixes are released. Liferay Portal is widely used as an enterprise web platform for building portals, intranets, and websites, making this vulnerability relevant to organizations relying on these products for internal and external web services.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those using Liferay Portal or DXP as part of their digital infrastructure. Stored XSS can lead to compromise of user sessions, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential lateral movement within internal networks if administrative users are targeted. Given that Liferay is often used in government portals, educational institutions, and large enterprises across Europe, exploitation could result in data breaches, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to exposure of personal data. The requirement for high privileges to inject malicious scripts reduces the risk of external attackers exploiting this vulnerability directly; however, insider threats or compromised privileged accounts could leverage this flaw to escalate attacks. Additionally, the need for user interaction means phishing or social engineering could be used to trigger the malicious scripts. The medium severity rating reflects these constraints but does not diminish the importance of addressing the vulnerability promptly to prevent exploitation in sensitive environments.

1. Apply official patches or updates from Liferay as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability directly. 2. Until patches are released, implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data, especially in the components tab and any other areas where user input is rendered. 3. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of potential XSS payloads. 4. Limit the number of users with high privileges who can modify portal components to reduce the risk of malicious script injection. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews focusing on input handling and sanitization within the portal environment. 6. Educate users about phishing and social engineering risks to minimize the chance of triggering stored XSS payloads. 7. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual activities that may indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. 8. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block XSS attack patterns targeting Liferay portals.