Summary
GeoServer Arbitrary file renaming vulnerability in REST Coverage/Data Store API
An arbitrary file renaming vulnerability exists that enables an authenticated administrator with permissions to modify stores through the REST Coverage Store or Data Store API to rename arbitrary files and directories with a name that does not end in ".zip".
Details
Store file uploads rename zip files to have a ".zip" extension if it doesn't already have one before unzipping the file. This is fine for file and url upload methods where the files will be in a specific subdirectory of the data directory but, when using the external upload method, this allows arbitrary files and directories to be renamed.
PoC
Coverage Store Example (workspace and store name are irrelevant and any valid coverage format can be used):
curl -XPUT -H"Content-Type:application/zip" -u"admin:geoserver" -d"/file/to/move" "http://localhost:8080/geoserver/rest/workspaces/a/coveragestores/b/external.geotiff"
Data Store Example (workspace and store name and data store format are irrelevant):
curl -XPUT -H"Content-Type:application/zip" -u"admin:geoserver" -d"/file/to/move" "http://localhost:8080/geoserver/rest/workspaces/a/datastores/b/external.c"
References
https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOS-11213
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/pull/7289
Impact
Renaming GeoServer files will most likely result in a denial of service, either completely preventing GeoServer from running or effectively deleting specific resources (such as a workspace, layer or style). In some cases, renaming GeoServer files could revert to the default settings for that file which could be relatively harmless like removing contact information or have more serious consequences like allowing users to make OGC requests that the customized settings would have prevented them from making. The impact of renaming non-GeoServer files depends on the specific environment although some sort of denial of service is a likely outcome.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2024-23634 has a CVSS score of 6.0 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, high 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 (2.23.5, 2.24.2); 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:gs-restconfig to 2.23.5 or later; org.geoserver:gs-restconfig to 2.24.2 or later
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-23634? CVE-2024-23634 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in org.geoserver:gs-restconfig (maven), affecting versions < 2.23.5. It is fixed in 2.23.5, 2.24.2. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2024-23634? CVE-2024-23634 has a CVSS score of 6.0 (Medium). 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:gs-restconfig are affected by CVE-2024-23634? org.geoserver:gs-restconfig (maven) versions < 2.23.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-23634? Yes. CVE-2024-23634 is fixed in 2.23.5, 2.24.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-23634 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-23634 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-2024-23634 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-2024-23634?
- Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-restconfigto 2.23.5 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-restconfigto 2.24.2 or later
- Upgrade