Summary
[XBOW-025-068] XML External Entity (XXE) Processing Vulnerability in GeoServer WFS Service
GeoServer Web Feature Service (WFS) web service was found to be vulnerable to GeoTools CVE-2025-30220 XML External Entity (XXE) processing attack.
It is possible to trigger the parsing of external DTDs and entities, bypassing standard entity resolvers. This allows for Out-of-Band (OOB) data exfiltration of local files accessible by the GeoServer process, and Service Side Request Forgery (SSRF).
Details
While direct entity resolution is managed by application property ENTITY_RESOLUTION_ALLOWLIST for XML Parsing, this restriction was not being used by the GeoTools library when building an in-memory XSD Library Schema representation.
This bypasses GeoServer's AllowListEntityResolver enabling XXE attacks.
PoC
No public PoC is provided but this vulnerability has been confirmed to be exploitable through WFS service.
References
- CVE-2025-30220 XML External Entity (XXE) Processing Vulnerability in XSD schema handling
- External Entities Resolution (GeoServer User Manual)
Acknowledgements
This vulnerability was initially reported via an automated tool described below. Subsequently a duplicate report via @YacineF, and their patience working with the GeoServer project, was instrumental finding in escalating this issue and determining a resolution.
XBOW-025-068 Disclaimer
This vulnerability was detected using XBOW, a system that autonomously finds and exploits potential security vulnerabilities. The finding has been thoroughly reviewed and validated by a security researcher before submission. While XBOW is intended to work autonomously, during its development human experts ensure the accuracy and relevance of its reports.
Impact
Information Disclosure:
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from the server's filesystem that are accessible to the GeoServer process.
This can lead to exposure of sensitive information including configuration files, credentials, and system files. The attack can be performed remotely without authentication, making it particularly severe.
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
The mechanism inherently allows forcing GeoServer to make HTTP requests to arbitrary URLs, enabling SSRF attacks against internal network resources
An XML parser processes external entity references in untrusted input, causing the server to fetch internal resources or remote URLs. Typical impact: local file disclosure, server-side request forgery, or denial of service.
CVE-2025-30220 has a CVSS score of 8.2 (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 (2.27.1, 2.26.3, 2.25.7); 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.web:gs-web-app to 2.27.1 or later; org.geoserver:gs-wfs to 2.27.1 or later; org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.26.3 or later; org.geoserver:gs-wfs to 2.26.3 or later; org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.25.7 or later; org.geoserver:gs-wfs to 2.25.7 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-30220? CVE-2025-30220 is a high-severity XML external entity injection (XXE) vulnerability in org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app (maven), affecting versions = 2.27.0. It is fixed in 2.27.1, 2.26.3, 2.25.7. An XML parser processes external entity references in untrusted input, causing the server to fetch internal resources or remote URLs.
- How severe is CVE-2025-30220? CVE-2025-30220 has a CVSS score of 8.2 (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 packages are affected by CVE-2025-30220?
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app(maven) (versions = 2.27.0)org.geoserver:gs-wfs(maven) (versions = 2.27.0)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-30220? Yes. CVE-2025-30220 is fixed in 2.27.1, 2.26.3, 2.25.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-30220 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-30220 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-2025-30220 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-2025-30220?
- Upgrade
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-appto 2.27.1 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-wfsto 2.27.1 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-appto 2.26.3 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-wfsto 2.26.3 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-appto 2.25.7 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-wfsto 2.25.7 or later
- Upgrade