CVE-2025-62256 Overview
CVE-2025-62256 is a missing authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in Liferay Portal and Liferay Digital Experience Platform (DXP). The flaw allows remote unauthenticated attackers to access the OpenAPI YAML file via a crafted URL. Liferay does not properly restrict access to the OpenAPI documentation endpoint under certain circumstances. Exposure of the OpenAPI specification reveals internal API structures, endpoints, and parameters that attackers can use for reconnaissance. The vulnerability affects Liferay Portal versions 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.109 and multiple DXP releases, including 2023.Q4.0 through 2023.Q4.5, 2023.Q3.1 through 2023.Q3.7, 7.4 GA through update 92, and 7.3 GA through update 35.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can retrieve the OpenAPI YAML specification, enabling reconnaissance of internal API surfaces and downstream targeted attacks against Liferay-hosted applications.
Affected Products
- Liferay Portal 7.4.0 through 7.4.3.109
- Liferay DXP 2023.Q4.0 through 2023.Q4.5 and 2023.Q3.1 through 2023.Q3.7
- Liferay DXP 7.4 GA through update 92 and 7.3 GA through update 35
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-23 - CVE-2025-62256 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-62256
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a missing authorization issue [CWE-862] in the Liferay Portal OpenAPI endpoint. Liferay exposes machine-readable API definitions in YAML format to support developer tooling. Under certain circumstances, the platform fails to enforce authentication or authorization checks before serving these files. Remote attackers can issue a crafted HTTP GET request and retrieve the OpenAPI specification without credentials. The attack requires no user interaction and can be executed across the network.
Exposure of the OpenAPI file is a confidentiality-only impact. Integrity and availability of the Liferay instance are not directly affected. However, the disclosed specification can enumerate REST endpoints, expected parameters, authentication schemes, and internal object models. Attackers use this information to craft targeted follow-on attacks against portal APIs, such as broken object-level authorization or injection attempts.
Root Cause
The root cause is an access control gap in the request-handling path serving OpenAPI YAML resources. Liferay's authorization filter does not consistently apply to the OpenAPI documentation route. When specific URL patterns are used, the application returns the YAML file without validating the caller's session, role, or permissions.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the Liferay web interface. An attacker sends a crafted URL to the OpenAPI endpoint and receives the YAML specification in the HTTP response. No credentials, tokens, or prior authentication are required. The technique is trivially automatable and suitable for mass scanning of internet-exposed Liferay deployments.
Refer to the Liferay Security Advisory CVE-2025-62256 for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-62256
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP GET requests targeting OpenAPI YAML paths on Liferay hosts from unauthenticated sources or unusual IP ranges.
- Access log entries returning 200 OK for OpenAPI documentation URLs without an associated authenticated session cookie.
- User-Agent strings associated with API discovery tools (curl, httpx, nuclei, ffuf) accessing /o/ or OpenAPI routes.
Detection Strategies
- Review Liferay and upstream reverse-proxy access logs for anonymous requests to OpenAPI YAML endpoints and correlate with source IP reputation.
- Deploy WAF rules that alert on unauthenticated requests to OpenAPI documentation paths on Liferay servers.
- Perform authenticated vulnerability scans against Liferay assets to identify instances still exposing the OpenAPI file to anonymous users.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Baseline normal traffic to Liferay API documentation routes and alert on volumetric spikes from single sources.
- Monitor for reconnaissance patterns where OpenAPI file retrieval is followed by enumeration of endpoints referenced in the YAML.
- Track outbound egress from Liferay servers for anomalous behavior that may follow successful reconnaissance.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-62256
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the fixes referenced in the Liferay Security Advisory CVE-2025-62256 to all affected Portal and DXP instances.
- Inventory all Liferay Portal and DXP deployments and identify versions within the affected ranges (7.4.0–7.4.3.109, 7.3 GA–update 35, 7.4 GA–update 92, 2023.Q3.1–2023.Q3.7, 2023.Q4.0–2023.Q4.5).
- Restrict network access to Liferay administrative and API documentation endpoints to trusted internal networks where feasible.
Patch Information
Liferay has issued fixes tracked under the vendor advisory. Upgrade Liferay Portal to a release beyond 7.4.3.109 and Liferay DXP to versions past the affected updates listed in the advisory. Consult the Liferay Security Advisory CVE-2025-62256 for exact fix pack and update identifiers.
Workarounds
- Configure a reverse proxy or WAF to deny unauthenticated requests to OpenAPI YAML routes until patches are applied.
- Enforce authentication requirements on Liferay's API documentation module through portal configuration where supported.
- Place Liferay portals behind an identity-aware proxy to require authentication before any resource is served.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
