# CVE-2021-33321: Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP insecure default configuration

> Remote attackers can enumerate user email addresses via the forgot password feature due to insecure default configuration in Liferay Portal.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jfch-m2x3-2v66

## What is CVE-2021-33321?

CVE-2021-33321 is a high-severity vulnerability in Liferay Liferay Portal, published on 3 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Insecure default configuration in Liferay Portal 6.2.3 through 7.3.2, and Liferay DXP before 7.3, allows remote attackers to enumerate user email address via the forgot password functionality. The portal.property login.secure.forgot.password should be defaulted to true.

Weakness: CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-33321?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl and com.liferay.portal:release.portal.bom. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl` | Maven | All versions | 5.11.0 |
| `com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl` | Maven | All versions | 5.11.0 |
| `com.liferay.portal:release.portal.bom` | Maven | All versions | 7.3.3 |
| `com.liferay.portal:release.portal.bom` | Maven | All versions | 7.3.3 |

Products: Liferay Dxp, Liferay Liferay Portal.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-33321?

Upgrade com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl to 5.11.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-33321 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-33321 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Liferay Liferay Portal

- [CVE-2022-42120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42120/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP Vulnerable to SQL Injection via the Fragment Module (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-42122](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42122/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP Vulnerable to SQL Injection via Friendly URL Module (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-35030](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35030/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP Vulnerable to CSRF via the Layout Module (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-29053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29053/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP Vulnerable to Multiple SQL Injections (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-29047](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29047/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP Fails to Invalidate CAPTCHA Answers After Use (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-33321 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-33321 is a high-severity vulnerability in Liferay Liferay Portal, published on 3 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-33321 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 5.11.0
- com.liferay.portal:com.liferay.portal.impl (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 5.11.0
- com.liferay.portal:release.portal.bom (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.3.3
- com.liferay.portal:release.portal.bom (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.3.3

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33321/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33321/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-33321
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-33321
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-33321

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33321/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.