CVE-2024-40625
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in GeoServer allows attackers to upload arbitrary files via the Coverage REST API without proper URL validation. Attackers can exploit this to upload malicious files to the server. All GeoServer instances with the Coverage REST API enabled are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- GeoServer
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution through uploaded malicious files, complete server compromise, data exfiltration, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
File system manipulation, denial of service by filling disk space, or serving malicious content from the server.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and file upload restrictions, potentially only minor configuration changes.
🎯 Exploit Status
Simple HTTP request manipulation required, no authentication needed for the vulnerable endpoint.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.26.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/security/advisories/GHSA-r4hf-r8gj-jgw2
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download GeoServer 2.26.0 or later from the official website. 2. Backup your current GeoServer configuration and data. 3. Stop the GeoServer service. 4. Replace the existing installation with the new version. 5. Restore your configuration and data. 6. Start the GeoServer service.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Coverage REST API
allDisable the vulnerable REST API endpoint if not required.
Edit web.xml or application configuration to remove/disable coverage REST endpoints
Network Access Control
linuxRestrict network access to the GeoServer instance using firewall rules.
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -s trusted_network -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -j DROP
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate GeoServer from untrusted networks
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to block malicious file upload patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if GeoServer version is below 2.26.0 and if the Coverage REST API endpoint is accessible.Check Version:
Check the GeoServer web interface status page or examine server startup logs for version information.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify GeoServer version is 2.26.0 or higher and test the vulnerable endpoint with controlled payloads.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file upload requests to /workspaces/*/coveragestores/*/url.*
- Large or unexpected file creations in GeoServer data directories
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to coverage REST endpoints with external URLs in payload
- Unusual outbound connections from GeoServer to external domains
SIEM Query:
source="geoserver" AND (uri_path="/workspaces/*/coveragestores/*/url.*" OR method="POST" AND uri_path CONTAINS "coveragestores")