CVE-2024-36401
CISA KEVAs of 2025-10-21, CVE-2024-36401 is a CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL-severity) vulnerability. CISA KEV-listed (known exploited); Public exploit code available; Nuclei detection template exists. EPSS exploitation probability 99.8%. Threadlinqs Intelligence tracks 3 threats exploiting it.
Last updated: 2025-10-21
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.
CVSS v3 vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weaknesses (CWE)
CWE-95
Exploitation status
CISA KEV-listed (known exploited) · public exploit code available · nuclei detection template exists
- whitebear-ch/GeoServerExploit (github)
- Chocapikk/CVE-2024-36401 (github)
- Mr-xn/CVE-2024-36401 (github)
- ahisec/geoserver- (github)
- bmth666/GeoServer-Tools-CVE-2024-36401 (github)
- bigb0x/CVE-2024-36401 (github)
- Niuwoo/CVE-2024-36401 (github)
- justin-p/geoexplorer (github)
Affected packages
maven:org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app— patched in 2.24.4maven:org.geoserver:gs-wfs— patched in 2.24.4maven:org.geoserver:gs-wms— patched in 2.24.4maven:org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app— patched in 2.25.2maven:org.geoserver:gs-wfs— patched in 2.25.2maven:org.geoserver:gs-wms— patched in 2.25.2maven:org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app— patched in 2.23.6maven:org.geoserver:gs-wfs— patched in 2.23.6maven:org.geoserver:gs-wms— patched in 2.23.6maven:org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app— patched in 2.22.6maven:org.geoserver:gs-wfs— patched in 2.22.6maven:org.geoserver:gs-wms— patched in 2.22.6
Threats tracking this CVE
- StrikeShark Campaign: SharkLoader Dropper Targets Governments and Software Developers via N-Day Exploits and Trojanized Installers to Deploy Cobalt Strike — HIGH
- SharkLoader Malware Campaign Uses Fake Cisco AnyConnect and Google Update Installers to Deploy Cobalt Strike — HIGH
- SharkLoader Malware Deploys Cobalt Strike Beacon via DLL Side-Loading in StrikeShark Campaign — HIGH
References
- https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/security/advisories/GHSA-6jj6-gm7p-fcvv
- https://github.com/geotools/geotools/security/advisories/GHSA-w3pj-wh35-fq8w
- https://github.com/geotools/geotools/pull/4797
- https://github.com/Warxim/CVE-2022-41852?tab=readme-ov-file#workaround-for-cve-2022-41852
- https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOT-7587
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Enriched from CVE.org, NVD (this product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD), FIRST EPSS, CISA KEV, and GitHub Security Advisories.