Liferay /api/jsonws API Exposed Scanner
This scanner detects the use of Liferay /api/jsonws API Exposure in digital assets. It helps identify exposed APIs that can lead to potential security risks. This tool is essential for maintaining the security of web applications using Liferay.
Short Info
Level
Low
Single Scan
Single Scan
Can be used by
Asset Owner
Estimated Time
10 seconds
Time Interval
23 days 17 hours
Scan only one
URL
Toolbox
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Liferay is a popular open-source portal framework often used by enterprises to create dynamic, business-ready portals and websites. It's frequently employed by developers and IT teams across various industries due to its flexibility, robust features, and support for multiple platforms. Liferay serves an extensive range of purposes, from building portals and content management systems to integrating with enterprise applications. It allows organizations to establish a seamless digital experience for users, be it for customer engagement, employee collaborations, or community networking. Particularly, Liferay's dynamic capabilities are designed to support complex business requirements, which can present security challenges if not managed properly. Therefore, ensuring all aspects, including APIs such as /api/jsonws, are secure and managed correctly is crucial for its integrity.
API Exposure vulnerabilities occur when application programming interfaces (APIs), like Liferay's /api/jsonws, are left open or insecurely configured. This exposure can provide unauthorized users access to sensitive information and functionalities. The Liferay /api/jsonws endpoint represents a possible security misconfiguration if not adequately secured. Vulnerabilities of this nature arise because APIs play an integral role in data transmission between applications, and an exposed API could be an entry point for attackers. Therefore, it’s critical for web applications to have proper authentication, authorization measures and regularly check API configurations to prevent unauthorized access. Securing APIs helps protect the data flow and function calls exchanged through them, thereby preventing security breaches.
The technical details of the vulnerability involve the exposure of the Liferay API’s /api/jsonws endpoint. If this endpoint is publicly accessible, it may allow attackers to interact with the application without proper authorization. The specific vulnerability instance involves checking for the presence of certain text patterns within the web page title and HTTP headers, indicating the API's active availability. The content-type returned as "text/html" and a successful 200 HTTP status code are tell-tale markers of this vulnerability. In practice, this exposed endpoint reveals more than necessary information to an unauthorized user, which might lead to further exploitation. Proper endpoint management and regular audits are thus essential to secure the application environment.
When the Liferay /api/jsonws API is exploited, it may lead to unauthorized access to internal functions and potentially sensitive data. This exposure can result in a range of security issues, including data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, and other forms of exploitation by attackers. Consequences can be particularly severe, especially if APIs are used to interface with critical back-end systems or proprietary data stores. The result is a substantial risk to personal data protection, business continuity, and compliance with data protection regulations. By understanding and mitigating these risks, organizations can protect their applications from considerable harm, maintaining integrity and customer trust.
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