# CVE-2022-38901: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary JavaScript or HTML via SVG file descriptions in Liferay DXP, potentially executing code in user sessions.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Oct 2022
- **Updated:** 9 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pq9f-jx2p-2xwc

## What is CVE-2022-38901?

CVE-2022-38901 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Liferay Liferay Portal, published on 19 Oct 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Document and Media module - file upload functionality in Liferay Digital Experience Platform 7.3.10 SP3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary JS script or HTML into the description field of uploaded svg file.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-38901?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Liferay Dxp, Liferay Liferay Portal.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-38901?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-38901 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-38901 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-38901 exists.

## 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-2021-33321](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33321/): Liferay Portal and Liferay DXP insecure default configuration (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-38901 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-38901 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Liferay Liferay Portal, published on 19 Oct 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-38901 exists.

Affected product: Liferay Liferay Portal. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2022-38901/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38901/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38901
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-38901
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-38901

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38901/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.