Summary
WPS Server Side Request Forgery vulnerability
The OGC Web Processing Service (WPS) specification is designed to process information from any server using GET and POST requests.
This presents the opportunity for Server Side Request Forgery.
Details
This vulnerability requires:
- The WPS extension to be installed
- The WPS security setting "Disable complex inputs" to be unselected
- Security URL checks to be disabled
Mitigation
The ability to reference an external URL location is defined by the WPS standard Execute operation. This operations is defined by an Industry and International standard and cannot be redefined by the GeoServer application in isolation.
To disable complex remote inputs on GeoServer 2.20.5 and GeoServer 2.21.0:
- Navigate to Security > WPS Security page
- Locate Complex Inputs heading
- Select the check box for Disable loading complex inputs from remote references
Resolution
To allow processing of complex inputs safely in GeoServer 2.22.5 and GeoServer 2.23.2:
- Navigate to Security > URL Checks
- Enable URL Checks are enabled setting
- Check the user manual for examples of how to trust specific locations for your external services.
Processing of complex inputs safely is on by default in GeoServer 2.24.0.
References
Impact
This vulnerability presents the opportunity for Server Side Request Forgery.
Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside. Typical impact: access to internal metadata services, internal APIs, or cloud credentials.
CVE-2023-43795 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.22.5, 2.23.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-core to 2.22.5 or later; org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-core to 2.23.2 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-43795? CVE-2023-43795 is a high-severity server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-core (maven), affecting versions < 2.22.5. It is fixed in 2.22.5, 2.23.2. Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside.
- How severe is CVE-2023-43795? CVE-2023-43795 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-core are affected by CVE-2023-43795? org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-core (maven) versions < 2.22.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-43795? Yes. CVE-2023-43795 is fixed in 2.22.5, 2.23.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-43795 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-43795 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-43795 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-43795?
- Upgrade
org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-coreto 2.22.5 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver.extension:gs-wps-coreto 2.23.2 or later
- Upgrade