CVE-2021-33320 : What You Need to Know

Liferay Portal 7.3.1 and earlier, as well as Liferay DXP 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2, are prone to a vulnerability that allows remote authenticated users to spam site administrators with emails. Here's what you need to know about CVE-2021-33320.

Understanding CVE-2021-33320

This section dives into the details of the vulnerability and its impact.

What is CVE-2021-33320?

The Flags module in Liferay Portal versions 7.3.1 and earlier, and Liferay DXP versions 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2, lacks rate limiting for inappropriate content flagging. This oversight enables authenticated remote users to flood site administrators with spam emails.

The Impact of CVE-2021-33320

The inability to control the rate of flagging inappropriate content creates a significant impact by allowing authenticated remote users to overwhelm site administrators with unsolicited emails, potentially leading to service disruption and loss of productivity.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-33320

This section outlines the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to the absence of restrictions on the frequency of flagging content as inappropriate, exploited by authenticated remote users.

Affected Systems and Versions

Liferay Portal versions 7.3.1 and earlier, and Liferay DXP versions 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote authenticated users can take advantage of the lack of rate limiting to repeatedly flag content as inappropriate, inundating site administrators with spam emails.

Mitigation and Prevention

To protect systems from CVE-2021-33320, immediate steps need to be taken along with the adoption of long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Liferay Portal and DXP to the latest fixed versions that address this vulnerability.
Monitor and limit the rate at which content can be flagged on the platform.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Liferay deployments to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Educate users on responsible platform usage and reporting mechanisms.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security advisories from Liferay and apply patches promptly to mitigate emerging risks.