---
id: CVE-2021-38266
title: >-
  The Portal Security module in Liferay Portal 7.2.1 and earlier, and Liferay
  DXP 7.0 before fix pack 90, 7.1 before fix pack 17 and 7.2 before fix pack 5
  does not correctly import users from LDAP, which allows remote attackers to
  prevent …
summary: >-
  The Portal Security module in Liferay Portal 7.2.1 and earlier, and Liferay
  DXP 7.0 before fix pack 90, 7.1 before fix pack 17 and 7.2 before fix pack 5
  does not correctly import users from LDAP, which allows remote attackers to
  prevent …
severity: high
cvss: 7.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
vendor: liferay
product: liferay_portal
affected:
  - liferay_portal <= 7.2.1
  - digital_experience_platform = 7.0
  - digital_experience_platform = 7.1
  - digital_experience_platform = 7.2
published: '2022-03-02'
updated: '2026-07-05'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38266'
references:
  - url: 'https://issues.liferay.com/browse/LPE-17191'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://portal.liferay.dev/learn/security/known-vulnerabilities/-/asset_publisher/HbL5mxmVrnXW/content/cve-2021-38266
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://liferay.com'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://issues.liferay.com/browse/LPE-17191'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://portal.liferay.dev/learn/security/known-vulnerabilities/-/asset_publisher/HbL5mxmVrnXW/content/cve-2021-38266
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.01742
epssPercentile: 0.76788
ingestedAt: '2026-07-06T17:03:23.919Z'
---

## Overview

The Portal Security module in Liferay Portal 7.2.1 and earlier, and Liferay DXP 7.0 before fix pack 90, 7.1 before fix pack 17 and 7.2 before fix pack 5 does not correctly import users from LDAP, which allows remote attackers to prevent a legitimate user from authenticating by attempting to sign in as a user that exist in LDAP.

## Affected

- `liferay_portal <= 7.2.1`
- `digital_experience_platform = 7.0`
- `digital_experience_platform = 7.1`
- `digital_experience_platform = 7.2`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.