Summary
GeoServer is vulnerable to Unauthenticated XML External Entities (XXE) attack via WMS GetMap feature
Description
An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability was identified. The application accepts XML input through a specific endpoint /geoserver/wms operation GetMap. However, this input is not sufficiently sanitized or restricted, allowing an attacker to define external entities within the XML request.
An XML External Entity attack is a type of attack that occurs when XML input containing a reference to an external entity is processed by a weakly configured XML parser. This attack may lead to the disclosure of confidential data, denial of service, port scanning from the perspective of the machine where the parser is located, and other system impacts.
By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can:
- Read arbitrary files from the server's file system.
- Conduct Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) to interact with internal systems.
- Execute Denial of Service (DoS) attacks by exhausting resources.
Resolution
Update to GeoServer 2.25.6, GeoServer 2.26.3, or GeoServer 2.27.0.
Reference
- https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOS-11682
- XBOW-024-081
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
The XXE vulnerability can be used to retrieve arbitrary files from the server's file system.
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-2025-58360 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 (2.26.2, 2.25.6); 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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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.26.2 or later; org.geoserver:gs-wms to 2.26.2 or later; org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.25.6 or later; org.geoserver:gs-wms to 2.25.6 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-58360? CVE-2025-58360 is a high-severity XML external entity injection (XXE) 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. An XML parser processes external entity references in untrusted input, causing the server to fetch internal resources or remote URLs.
- How severe is CVE-2025-58360? CVE-2025-58360 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-2025-58360?
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app(maven) (versions >= 2.26.0, < 2.26.2)org.geoserver:gs-wms(maven) (versions >= 2.26.0, < 2.26.2)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-58360? Yes. CVE-2025-58360 is fixed in 2.26.2, 2.25.6. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-58360 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-58360 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-2025-58360 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-2025-58360?
- Upgrade
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-appto 2.26.2 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-wmsto 2.26.2 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-appto 2.25.6 or later - Upgrade
org.geoserver:gs-wmsto 2.25.6 or later
- Upgrade