CVE-2025-4388 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in multiple versions of the Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP products, specifically affecting versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.131 and various 2024 quarterly releases of Liferay DXP. The vulnerability resides in the marketplace-app-manager-web module, which is part of the marketplace application within Liferay Portal. This flaw allows a remote attacker with no authentication required to inject malicious JavaScript code into web pages generated by the affected module. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which involves improper neutralization of input during web page generation, leading to reflected XSS attacks. Exploitation involves crafting a specially crafted URL or request that includes malicious script code, which is then reflected back in the response without proper sanitization or encoding. This enables the attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the victim’s browser session when they visit the malicious link. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires no privileges or user interaction, and has limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability’s scope is limited to the affected module and does not require authentication, increasing its risk profile. Although no known exploits in the wild have been reported yet, the presence of this vulnerability in widely used versions of Liferay Portal and DXP makes it a significant concern for organizations using these platforms. The lack of available patches at the time of publication indicates that organizations must implement interim mitigations to reduce exposure.

For European organizations using Liferay Portal or Liferay DXP, this vulnerability poses a risk of client-side attacks that can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users. Since Liferay is commonly used for enterprise portals, intranet sites, and customer-facing web applications, exploitation could compromise sensitive business data and user privacy. The reflected XSS can be leveraged to deliver phishing attacks or malware, potentially damaging organizational reputation and violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. The vulnerability’s ability to be exploited without authentication increases the attack surface, especially for public-facing portals. Additionally, the limited impact on system availability means attackers may focus on stealthy data exfiltration or persistent session compromise. European organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and manufacturing that rely on Liferay for digital services are particularly at risk. The potential for cross-site scripting to facilitate further attacks, including privilege escalation or lateral movement within internal networks, elevates the threat level in environments where Liferay is integrated with other critical systems.

1. Immediate mitigation should include implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the marketplace-app-manager-web module, focusing on suspicious JavaScript injection patterns in URL parameters or request bodies. 2. Conduct a thorough review and hardening of input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the affected Liferay modules, ensuring all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before rendering. 3. Restrict access to the marketplace module to trusted users or internal networks where feasible, reducing exposure to unauthenticated attackers. 4. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual request patterns indicative of attempted XSS exploitation, enabling early detection and response. 5. Engage with Liferay support channels to obtain official patches or updates as soon as they become available and prioritize their deployment in test and production environments. 6. Educate end users and administrators about the risks of clicking on suspicious links and encourage the use of security features such as Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of injected scripts. 7. Perform regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on web application vulnerabilities, including XSS, to identify and remediate similar issues proactively.