---
id: "CVE-2020-7961"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2020-7961"]
title: "Liferay Liferay Portal: Liferay Portal Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.99905
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: [{"name": "Liferay Liferay Portal", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "java", "liferay", "runtime", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["managed-hosting"]
published_at: "2020-03-20T19:15:12+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-7961", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-7961", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7961", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Liferay Liferay Portal: Liferay Portal Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability

Liferay Portal deserializes untrusted data sent to its JSON web services, so a remote attacker can send a crafted request and execute code on the server. CISA lists it as actively exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Liferay Liferay Portal affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the update from Liferay per vendor instructions (CISA required action); the sources do not name the fixed version.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-7961
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-7961
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7961

## From the sources

Liferay Portal contains a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute code via JSON web services.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_