CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-36404NVD status: Deferred

geotools: Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-36404 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of directives in dynamically evaluated code vulnerability in geotools, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 29.6, 30.4, 31.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating geotools to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 76.1% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 0.46% of all scored CVEs.

Patch now

Exploitation in the next 30 days is more likely than not, according to EPSS.

What to do

  1. Update geotools to 29.6 or 30.4 or 31.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Geotoolsgeotools< 29.6; >= 30.0, < 30.4; >= 31.0, < 31.2; before 29.6; 30.0 up to, but not including, 30.4; 31.0 up to, but not including, 31.229.6, 30.4, 31.2

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
NoneNo account or login is needed.
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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

GeoTools is an open source Java library that provides tools for geospatial data. Prior to versions 31.2, 30.4, and 29.6, Remote Code Execution (RCE) is possible if an application uses certain GeoTools functionality to evaluate XPath expressions supplied by user input. Versions 31.2, 30.4, and 29.6 contain a fix for this issue. As a workaround, GeoTools can operate with reduced functionality by removing the `gt-complex` jar from one's application. As an example of the impact, application schema `datastore` would not function without the ability to use XPath expressions to query complex content. Alternatively, one may utilize a drop-in replacement GeoTools jar from SourceForge for versions 31.1, 30.3, 30.2, 29.2, 28.2, 27.5, 27.4, 26.7, 26.4, 25.2, and 24.0. These jars are for download only and are not available from maven central, intended to quickly provide a fix to affected applications.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code

The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes code syntax before using the input in a dynamic evaluation call (e.g. eval).

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If possible, refactor your code so that it does not need to use eval() at all.
  • For Python programs, it is frequently encouraged to use the ast.literal_eval() function instead of eval, since it is intentionally designed to avoid executing code. However, an adversary could still cause excessive memory or stack consumption via deeply nested structures, so the python documentation discourages use of ast.literal_eval() on untrusted data.

More Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code vulnerabilities (CWE-95)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other references

Other vulnerabilities in geotools

All geotools vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.