geoserver: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
CVE-2023-51444 is a high-severity unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type vulnerability in geoserver, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2.23.4 as the first without the flaw, so updating geoserver to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.87% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 80% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update geoserver to 2.23.4 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoserver | geoserver | < 2.23.4; = 2.24.0; before 2.23.4; 2.24.0 | 2.23.4 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.2 | High | CNA (github.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.2 | High | NVD |
Official description
GeoServer is an open source software server written in Java that allows users to share and edit geospatial data. An arbitrary file upload vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.23.4 and 2.24.1 that enables an authenticated administrator with permissions to modify coverage stores through the REST Coverage Store API to upload arbitrary file contents to arbitrary file locations which can lead to remote code execution. Coverage stores that are configured using relative paths use a GeoServer Resource implementation that has validation to prevent path traversal but coverage stores that are configured using absolute paths use a different Resource implementation that does not prevent path traversal. This vulnerability can lead to executing arbitrary code. An administrator with limited privileges could also potentially exploit this to overwrite GeoServer security files and obtain full administrator privileges. Versions 2.23.4 and 2.24.1 contain a fix for this issue.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
The product allows the upload or transfer of dangerous file types that are automatically processed within its environment.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Generate a new, unique filename for an uploaded file instead of using the user-supplied filename, so that no external input is used at all.
- When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.
- Consider storing the uploaded files outside of the web document root entirely. Then, use other mechanisms to deliver the files dynamically.
More Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities (CWE-434)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
- osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOS-11176Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in geoserver
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
Recent Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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