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GHSA-mc43-4fqr-c965

CriticalCVSS 9.3 / 10
Published Jun 10, 2025·Last modified Jun 10, 2025
Affected Components(0)

No affected components available

Description

Summary

An improper URI validation vulnerability exists that enables an unauthorized attacker to perform XML External Entities (XEE) attack, then send GET request to any HTTP server. Attacker can abuse this to scan internal networks and gain information about them then exploit further. Moreover, attacker can read limited .xsd file on system.

Details

By default, GeoServer use PreventLocalEntityResolver class from GeoTools to filter out malicious URIs in XML entities before resolving them. The URI must match the regex (?i)(jar:file|http|vfs)[^?#;]*\\.xsd. But the regex leaves a chance for attackers to request to any HTTP server or limited file.

Impact

An unauthenticated attacker can:

  1. Scan internal network to gain insight about it and exploit further.
  2. SSRF to endpoint ends with .xsd.
  3. Read limited .xsd file on system.

Mitigation

  1. Define the system property ENTITY_RESOLUTION_ALLOWLIST to limit the supported external schema locaitons.
  2. The built-in allow list covers the locations required for the operation of OGC web services: www.w3.org,schemas.opengis.net,www.opengis.net,inspire.ec.europa.eu/schemas.
  3. The user guide provides details on how to add additional locations (this is required for app-schema plugin where a schema is supplied to define an output format).

Resolution

  1. GeoServer 2.25.0 and greater default to the use of ENTITY_RESOLUTION_ALLOWLIST and does not require you to provide a system property.
  2. The use of ENTITY_RESOLUTION_ALLOWLIST is still supported if you require additional schema locations to be supported beyond the built-in allow list.
  3. GeoServer 2.25.1 change ENTITY_RESOLUTION_ALLOWLIST no longer supports regular expressions

References

Credits

  • Le Mau Anh Phong from VNG Security Response Center & VNUHCM - University of Information Technology
Risk Scores
Base Score
9.3

The vulnerability can be exploited over the network without needing physical access. It is easy for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker does not need any special privileges or access rights. No user interaction is needed for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability can affect other systems as well, not just the initial system. There is a high impact on the confidentiality of the information. There is a low impact on the integrity of the data.

Threat Intelligence
8.5

Exploitation activity has been observed. Apply available patches or mitigations urgently.

EPSS
0.26%

The exploit probability is very low. The vulnerability is unlikely to be exploited in the next 30 days.

Exploit
Not available

We did not find any exploit available. Neither in GitHub repositories nor in the Exploit-Database.

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Critical severity
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