CVE-2024-36401 [Exploited] | Geoserver Code Injection

GeoServer is an open source server that allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Prior to versions 2.22.6, 2.23.6, 2.24.4, and 2.25.2, multiple OGC request parameters allow Remote Code Execution (RCE) by unauthenticated users through specially crafted input against a default GeoServer installation due to unsafely evaluating property names as XPath expressions. The GeoTools library API that GeoServer calls evaluates property/attribute names for feature types in a way that unsafely passes them to the commons-jxpath library which can execute arbitrary code when evaluating XPath expressions. This XPath evaluation is intended to be used only by complex feature types (i.e., Application Schema data stores) but is incorrectly being applied to simple feature types as well which makes this vulnerability apply to **ALL** GeoServer instances. No public PoC is provided but this vulnerability has been confirmed to be exploitable through WFS GetFeature, WFS GetPropertyValue, WMS GetMap, WMS GetFeatureInfo, WMS GetLegendGraphic and WPS Execute requests. This vulnerability can lead to executing arbitrary code. Versions 2.22.6, 2.23.6, 2.24.4, and 2.25.2 contain a patch for the issue. A workaround exists by removing the `gt-complex-x.y.jar` file from the GeoServer where `x.y` is the GeoTools version (e.g., `gt-complex-31.1.jar` if running GeoServer 2.25.1). This will remove the vulnerable code from GeoServer but may break some GeoServer functionality or prevent GeoServer from deploying if the gt-complex module is needed.

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#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2025-03-17	96.19%	94.37%	-1.82%
2	2025-02-17	95.59%	96.19%	+0.59%
3	2025-02-07	—	95.59%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2025-03-17

96.19%

94.37%

-1.82%

2025-02-17

95.59%

96.19%

+0.59%

2025-02-07

—

95.59%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
9.8	3.1	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	3.9	5.9	[email protected]
9.8	3.1	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	3.9	5.9	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

9.8

3.1

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

3.9

5.9

[email protected]

9.8

3.1

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

3.9

5.9

[email protected]

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-36401

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
geoserver	geoserver	< 2.22.6	cpe:2.3:a:geoserver:geoserver::::::::
geoserver	geoserver	>= 2.23.0, < 2.23.6	cpe:2.3:a:geoserver:geoserver::::::::
geoserver	geoserver	>= 2.24.0, < 2.24.4	cpe:2.3:a:geoserver:geoserver::::::::
geoserver	geoserver	>= 2.25.0, < 2.25.2	cpe:2.3:a:geoserver:geoserver::::::::
geotools	geotools	< 29.6	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools::::::::
geotools	geotools	>= 30.1, < 30.4	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools::::::::
geotools	geotools	>= 31.1, < 31.2	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools::::::::
geotools	geotools	30.0	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools:30.0:-::::::
geotools	geotools	30.0	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools:30.0:rc::::::
geotools	geotools	31.0	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools:31.0:-::::::
geotools	geotools	31.0	cpe:2.3:a:geotools:geotools:31.0:rc::::::

References for CVE-2024-36401

URL	Tags
https://github.com/Warxim/CVE-2022-41852?tab=readme-ov-file#workaround-for-cve-2022-41852	Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/security/advisories/GHSA-6jj6-gm7p-fcvv	Mitigation Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/geotools/geotools/pull/4797	Issue Tracking Patch
https://github.com/geotools/geotools/security/advisories/GHSA-w3pj-wh35-fq8w	Exploit Vendor Advisory
https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOT-7587	Vendor Advisory
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/geoserver-rce-cve-2024-36401	Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-36401	US Government Resource

URL

CVE-2024-36401 | Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in evaluating property name expressions in Geoserver

CISA KEV Record for CVE-2024-36401

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2024-36401

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2024-36401

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2024-36401

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2024-36401

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2024-36401

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-36401

References for CVE-2024-36401