CVE-2024-38524

The GeoWebCache home page includes version and revision information about the software in use. This information is sensitive from a security point of view because it allows software used by the server to be easily identified.

Details

org.geowebcache.GeoWebCacheDispatcher.handleFrontPage(HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse) has no check to hide potentially sensitive information from users except for a hidden system property to hide the storage locations that defaults to showing the locations.

PoC

Just open http://localhost:8080/geoserver/gwc/

References

https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOS-11677
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/pull/8189
https://github.com/GeoWebCache/geowebcache/issues/1344
https://github.com/GeoWebCache/geowebcache/pull/1345

In addition to exposing the version and revision information, the home page will expose the config file and storage locations which may expose the system's temp directory location and whether or not GeoServer is running in a Windows operating system. The approximate server start time and some basic GWC usage information is also exposed.

CVE-2024-38524 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). 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 (2.26.2, 2.25.6); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2024-38524? CVE-2024-38524 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app (maven), affecting versions >= 2.26.0, < 2.26.2. It is fixed in 2.26.2, 2.25.6.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-38524? CVE-2024-38524 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (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.
3. Which packages are affected by CVE-2024-38524?
   • org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app (maven) (versions >= 2.26.0, < 2.26.2)
   • org.geoserver:gs-gwc (maven) (versions >= 2.26.0, < 2.26.2)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-38524? Yes. CVE-2024-38524 is fixed in 2.26.2, 2.25.6. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-38524 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-38524 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-38524 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2024-38524?
   • Upgrade org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.26.2 or later
   • Upgrade org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.25.6 or later
   • Upgrade org.geoserver:gs-gwc to 2.26.2 or later
   • Upgrade org.geoserver:gs-gwc to 2.25.6 or later