CVE-2023-33944 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2023-33944, a Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP.

Understanding CVE-2023-33944

CVE-2023-33944 is a medium-severity vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script or HTML through a crafted payload injected into a container type layout fragment's

URL

text field.

What is CVE-2023-33944?

The vulnerability exists in the Layout module in Liferay Portal versions 7.3.4 through 7.4.3.68, and Liferay DXP versions 7.3 before update 24, and 7.4 before update 69.

The Impact of CVE-2023-33944

The impact of this vulnerability is that it enables attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML code into web pages, potentially leading to various attacks such as phishing, data theft, or unauthorized actions.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-33944

This section delves into the specific technical details of CVE-2023-33944.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute XSS attacks by injecting crafted payloads into the

URL

text field of specific layout fragments.

Affected Systems and Versions

Liferay Portal versions 7.3.4 through 7.4.3.68 and Liferay DXP versions 7.3 before update 24 and 7.4 before update 69 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious payloads into layout fragments, taking advantage of the lack of proper input validation on web pages.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2023-33944 involves taking specific mitigation steps and implementing long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately update Liferay Portal to versions 7.4.3.69 or higher and Liferay DXP to versions 7.3 update 24 or higher to mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update web applications, conduct security audits, and educate developers on secure coding practices to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Liferay and promptly apply patches and updates to address known vulnerabilities.