CVE-2020-7961
CriticalExploitedPublic exploitDeserialization of Untrusted Data in Liferay Portal
Published May 24, 2022 · Updated Sep 5, 2026 · Also known as GHSA-w7pm-cc4v-f3g8
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2020-7961 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.3 v4) affecting Liferay Portal, com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernel (maven).
- It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Jan 14, 2021. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 100% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernel 4.35.3, Liferay Portal 7.2.1.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v4
9.3
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:A
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
100%
Higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
Yes
4 catalog listings
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2020-7961 brief as a PDF
Every affected product and fixed release, exploitation status and a first 24 hours response checklist, emailed within minutes.
Description
Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Liferay Portal prior to 7.2.1 CE GA2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via JSON web services (JSONWS).
Known-Exploited Catalog Listings
| Catalog | Added | Remediation due | Ransomware use |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA KEV | Nov 3, 2021 | May 3, 2022 | Not reported |
| Industry KEV feed | Jan 14, 2021 | May 3, 2022 | Not reported |
| CIRCL KEV | Nov 3, 2021 | May 3, 2022 | Not reported |
| ENISA EUVD | Nov 3, 2021 | n/a | Not reported |
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Affected Products
2 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Liferay PortalLiferay | See advisory | 7.2.1 |
| com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernelmaven | See advisory | 4.35.3 |
Patched Releases
com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernel
4.35.3
Liferay Portal
7.2.1
Timeline
Added to Industry KEV feed
Jan 14, 2021
Added to CISA KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Added to CIRCL KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Added to ENISA EUVD
Nov 3, 2021
Publicly disclosed
May 24, 2022
Last updated
Sep 5, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-502 Deserialization of Untrusted Data
References
- advisoryhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157254/Liferay-Portal-Java-Unmarshalling-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- advisoryhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158392/Liferay-Portal-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- advisoryGHSA advisory
- advisoryhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7961
- advisoryhttps://portal.liferay.dev/learn/security/known-vulnerabilities
FAQ
Common Questions.
Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Liferay Portal prior to 7.2.1 CE GA2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via JSON web services (JSONWS).
Affected: Liferay Portal; com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernel (maven). The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Jan 14, 2021.
Yes. It was added on Nov 3, 2021 with a federal remediation due date of May 3, 2022.
Public exploit code is available.
Fixed versions are available, including com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.kernel 4.35.3, Liferay Portal 7.2.1.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
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