`CVE-2024-36401`

Affected software	2 products, listed below
Severity	9.8 Critical CVSS 3.1 2 scores
Fixed in	`2.24.4`, `2.25.2`, `2.23.6`, `2.22.6`
Weakness	Code injection (CWE-94)
Published	1 Jul 2024
Updated	29 Sep 2026

Description

GeoServer is an open source server that allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Prior to versions 2.22.6, 2.23.6, 2.24.4, and 2.25.2, multiple OGC request parameters allow Remote Code Execution (RCE) by unauthenticated users through specially crafted input against a default GeoServer installation due to unsafely evaluating property names as XPath expressions. The GeoTools library API that GeoServer calls evaluates property/attribute names for feature types in a way that unsafely passes them to the commons-jxpath library which can execute arbitrary code when evaluating XPath expressions. This XPath evaluation is intended to be used only by complex feature types (i.e., Application Schema data stores) but is incorrectly being applied to simple feature types as well which makes this vulnerability apply to **ALL** GeoServer instances. No public PoC is provided but this vulnerability has been confirmed to be exploitable through WFS GetFeature, WFS GetPropertyValue, WMS GetMap, WMS GetFeatureInfo, WMS GetLegendGraphic and WPS Execute requests. This vulnerability can lead to executing arbitrary code. Versions 2.22.6, 2.23.6, 2.24.4, and 2.25.2 contain a patch for the issue. A workaround exists by removing the gt-complex-x.y.jar file from the GeoServer where x.y is the GeoTools version (e.g., gt-complex-31.1.jar if running GeoServer 2.25.1). This will remove the vulnerable code from GeoServer but may break some GeoServer functionality or prevent GeoServer from deploying if the gt-complex module is needed.

CWE-95

Exploitation status

Exploited

Confirmed real-world exploitation.

CISA KEV listed Confirmed exploitation in the wild. Added 2024-07-15 · remediation due 2024-08-05 · ransomware use: unknown
VulnCheck KEV listed Exploitation reported in the wild. 29 citations · honeypot sightings · 28 exploits · earliest 2024-07-03.
CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: active CISA records active exploitation. Automatable: yes, technical impact: total.
Indexed PoC 19 indexed Published artifacts you can open, in GitHub PoC, Metasploit, Nuclei; first seen 2024-07-04.
EPSS 99.8% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs.

VulnCheck KEV

Exploitation evidence from VulnCheck Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (VulnCheck KEV), used under VulnCheck's community terms. View CVE-2024-36401 in VulnCheck (free account), which lists 24 more citations and 23 more exploit references not shown here.

Evidence	Source	Detail	Date
Honeypot sighting	SANS DShield sensors	Exploitation attempts seen on 1 day	2024-07-03
Honeypot sighting	Shadowserver honeypots	Exploitation attempts seen on 772 days	2024-07-28 to 2026-11-12
Honeypot sighting	VulnCheck canaries	Exploitation attempts seen on 196 days	2025-12-02 to 2026-11-13
Reported exploitation	cisa.gov	/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json	2024-07-15
Reported exploitation	blog.sonicwall.com	/en-us/2024/07/geoserver-rce-vulnerability-cve-2024-36401-being-exploited-in-the-wild	2024-07-29
Reported exploitation	isc.sans.edu	/diary/A%20Survey%20of%20Scans%20for%20GeoServer%20Vulnerabilities/31148	2024-08-06
Reported exploitation	fortinet.com	/blog/threat-research/threat-actors-exploit-geoserver-vulnerability-cve-2024-36401	2024-09-05
Reported exploitation	trendmicro.com	/en_us/research/24/i/earth-baxia-spear-phishing-and-geoserver-exploit.html	2024-09-19
Exploit reference	VulnCheck XDB e908c49bab48	Exploit type: initial-access	2024-07-04
Exploit reference	VulnCheck XDB 07cf7a5d5e1b	Exploit type: initial-access	2024-07-05
Exploit reference	VulnCheck XDB 0a69e625f39a	Exploit type: initial-access	2024-07-05
Exploit reference	VulnCheck XDB 46abf92ec267	Exploit type: initial-access	2024-07-06
Exploit reference	VulnCheck XDB 83b62ab68571	Exploit type: initial-access	2024-07-12

Evidence

Source

Detail

Date

Honeypot sighting

SANS DShield sensors

Exploitation attempts seen on 1 day

2024-07-03

Honeypot sighting

Shadowserver honeypots

Exploitation attempts seen on 772 days

2024-07-28 to 2026-11-12

Honeypot sighting

VulnCheck canaries

Exploitation attempts seen on 196 days

2025-12-02 to 2026-11-13

Reported exploitation

cisa.gov

/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

2024-07-15

Reported exploitation

blog.sonicwall.com

/en-us/2024/07/geoserver-rce-vulnerability-cve-2024-36401-being-exploited-in-the-wild

2024-07-29

Reported exploitation

isc.sans.edu

/diary/A%20Survey%20of%20Scans%20for%20GeoServer%20Vulnerabilities/31148

2024-08-06

Reported exploitation

fortinet.com

/blog/threat-research/threat-actors-exploit-geoserver-vulnerability-cve-2024-36401

2024-09-05

Reported exploitation

trendmicro.com

/en_us/research/24/i/earth-baxia-spear-phishing-and-geoserver-exploit.html

2024-09-19

Exploit reference

VulnCheck XDB e908c49bab48

Exploit type: initial-access

2024-07-04

Exploit reference

VulnCheck XDB 07cf7a5d5e1b

Exploit type: initial-access

2024-07-05

Exploit reference

VulnCheck XDB 0a69e625f39a

Exploit type: initial-access

2024-07-05

Exploit reference

VulnCheck XDB 46abf92ec267

Exploit type: initial-access

2024-07-06

Exploit reference

VulnCheck XDB 83b62ab68571

Exploit type: initial-access

2024-07-12

2 of these are GitHub repositories with fewer than 5 stars. They are listed for reference and don't count toward the exploitation status above.

Index	Artifact	Stars	First seen
GitHub PoC	GeoServer（CVE-2024-36401/CVE-2024-36404）漏洞利用工具	123	2025-01-07
Nuclei	GeoServer RCE in Evaluating Property Name Expressions
Metasploit	Geoserver unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (excellent rank)
GitHub PoC	GeoServer Remote Code Execution	89	2024-07-30
GitHub PoC	Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability In Evaluating Property Name Expressions with multies ways to exploit	56	2024-07-06
GitHub PoC	geoserver CVE-2024-36401漏洞利用工具	45	2024-07-17
GitHub PoC	CVE-2024-36401 图形化利用工具，支持各个JDK版本利用以及回显、内存马实现	44	2025-04-11
GitHub PoC	POC for CVE-2024-36401. This POC will attempt to establish a reverse shell from the vlun targets.	35	2024-07-04
GitHub PoC	Mass scanner for CVE-2024-36401	4	2024-08-27
GitHub PoC	POC	4	2024-07-05

Waratek protection

Protected by Waratek

Waratek has a rule that blocks the main way to exploit this vulnerability, but a public exploit or tool gets past it.

Protection partial Process
Action available security rule
Review human Researcher
Record active

Decided by	A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE
Finding	A researcher found this CVE partially protected by the ARMR Process rule: a public exploit or tool reaches the rated impact without tripping it.

Decided by

A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE

Finding

A researcher found this CVE partially protected by the ARMR Process rule: a public exploit or tool reaches the rated impact without tripping it.

Waratek research note

written 2026-11-13

Written by a Waratek engineer who reviewed this CVE. Their decision sets the status above, ahead of every automated rule except a withdrawal.

Comments

Rule Name: ARMR Process rule

JXPath expression injection via OGC feature property names; the Process rule (with /bin/* and /usr/* listed) blocks the exec(Runtime.getRuntime(),cmd) fork the mainstream exploits use. An exploit variant that loads a hidden webshell into GeoServer without starting a program is not stopped.

How to mitigate CVE-2024-36401

Upgrade the affected software to a release that fixes it: 2.24.4, 2.25.2, 2.23.6 or 2.22.6. Until you can, Waratek RASP blocks the main way to exploit it with its process rule, but a public exploit or tool gets past it. The research note above says which.

Waratek RASP Runtime protection for Java applications

CVSS

9.8 CRITICAL v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H 2 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

Version Score Band Vector Assigner Type

CVSS 3.1 9.8 CRITICAL CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H security-advisories@github.com Secondary published

CVSS 3.1 9.8 CRITICAL CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H NVD Primary

Version	Score	Band	Vector	Assigner	Type
CVSS 3.1	9.8	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	security-advisories@github.com	Secondary	published
CVSS 3.1	9.8	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	NVD	Primary

Affected software and releases

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev

Package Introduced Fixed Last affected

org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app 2.24.0 2.24.4 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wfs 2.24.0 2.24.4 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wms 2.24.0 2.24.4 unbounded

org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app 2.25.0 2.25.2 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wfs 2.25.0 2.25.2 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wms 2.25.0 2.25.2 unbounded

org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app 2.23.0 2.23.6 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wfs 2.23.0 2.23.6 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wms 2.23.0 2.23.6 unbounded

org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app 0 2.22.6 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wfs 0 2.22.6 unbounded

org.geoserver:gs-wms 0 2.22.6 unbounded

Package	Introduced	Fixed	Last affected
`org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app`	2.24.0	`2.24.4`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wfs`	2.24.0	`2.24.4`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wms`	2.24.0	`2.24.4`	unbounded
`org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app`	2.25.0	`2.25.2`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wfs`	2.25.0	`2.25.2`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wms`	2.25.0	`2.25.2`	unbounded
`org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app`	2.23.0	`2.23.6`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wfs`	2.23.0	`2.23.6`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wms`	2.23.0	`2.23.6`	unbounded
`org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app`	0	`2.22.6`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wfs`	0	`2.22.6`	unbounded
`org.geoserver:gs-wms`	0	`2.22.6`	unbounded

Products and versions

5 products, 23 version entries

Source	Vendor	Product	Scheme	Affected versions
nvd	geoserver	geoserver	generic	＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2
nvd	geotools	geotools	generic	＜ 29.6 · 30.0 · 30.0:rc · ≥ 30.1 and ＜ 30.4 · 31.0 · 31.0:rc · ≥ 31.1 and ＜ 31.2
osv	org.geoserver	gs-wfs	generic	＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2
osv	org.geoserver	gs-wms	generic	＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2
osv	org.geoserver.web	gs-web-app	generic	＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2

Source

Vendor

Product

Scheme

Affected versions

nvd

geoserver

generic

＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2

nvd

geotools

generic

＜ 29.6 · 30.0 · 30.0:rc · ≥ 30.1 and ＜ 30.4 · 31.0 · 31.0:rc · ≥ 31.1 and ＜ 31.2

osv

org.geoserver

gs-wfs

generic

＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2

osv

org.geoserver

gs-wms

generic

＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2

osv

org.geoserver.web

gs-web-app

generic

＜ 2.22.6 · ≥ 2.23.0 and ＜ 2.23.6 · ≥ 2.24.0 and ＜ 2.24.4 · ≥ 2.25.0 and ＜ 2.25.2

References

URL	Tags
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/security/advisories/GHSA-6jj6-gm7p-fcvv	WEB
https://github.com/geotools/geotools/security/advisories/GHSA-w3pj-wh35-fq8w	WEB
https://github.com/geotools/geotools/pull/4797	WEB
https://github.com/Warxim/CVE-2022-41852?tab=readme-ov-file#workaround-for-cve-2022-41852	WEB
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver	PACKAGE
https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOT-7587	WEB
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-36401	WEB
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/geoserver-rce-cve-2024-36401	WEB
https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/security/advisories/GHSA-6jj6-gm7p-fcvv, https://github.com/geotools/geotools/pull/4797

URL

Timeline

Published	2024-07-01	By the CVE Program.
VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence	2024-07-03	Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.
Added to CISA KEV	2024-07-15	Listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
NVD record modified	2026-06-17	NVD's own last-modified date for this record.
Last VRT activity	2026-09-29	Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.
VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence	2026-11-13	Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.
Classification created	2026-11-13	First commit adding this CVE's research note.

Published

2024-07-01

By the CVE Program.

VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence

2024-07-03

Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.

Added to CISA KEV

2024-07-15

Listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

NVD record modified

2026-06-17

NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

Last VRT activity

2026-09-29

Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.

VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence

2026-11-13

Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.

Classification created

2026-11-13

First commit adding this CVE's research note.

How VRT decided (4 of 24 rules ran)

4 of 24 rules ran. The rest didn't run because an earlier rule had already settled the CVE.

# Rule Outcome Status Detail

identity: Does this identifier describe a vulnerability at all? the first rule that matches decides

1 rejected no match CVE Program withdrawal of this identifier

scope: Is it a vulnerability Waratek protects? the first rule that matches decides

2 armr-patch-file no match An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE

3 armr-secure-rule-file no match An ARMR security-rule template on disk for this CVE

4 manual-classification decided it matched Protected by Waratek A researcher found this CVE partially protected by the ARMR Process rule: a public exploit or tool reaches the rated impact without tripping it.

5 manual classification not reached Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset

6 non-java-upstream not reached A root cause in non-Java code: an OS kernel, a C library, or a bundled runtime

7 oracle-component not reached The defect being in a component of a tracked product the agent does not reach: JavaFX, the Java SE installer, the JInitiator browser plug-in, the native WebLogic proxy plug-in, or a native part of Oracle Application Server or Collaboration Suite (HTTP Server, Web Cache, Internet Directory, mail and calendar servers). Oracle gives these no CPE of their own and names them only in the description.

8 java-client-side not reached Oracle's own risk-matrix note saying the CVE is reached only through untrusted code in the Java sandbox (applets, Web Start) or only through a client installation of Java, so a server running its own trusted code is not exposed

9 osv-maven not reached An OSV.dev record of this CVE affecting a package published to Maven Central. When every such package is one business applications do not use (Minecraft mods and launchers, Fastjson) and no tracked product is named by CPE, it settles the CVE as Outside Waratek scope instead

10 cna-maven-package not reached An affected Maven artifact named by the CNA itself

11 known-cpe-product not reached An NVD CPE naming a product ARMR tracks

12 cna-cpe-product not reached A CPE the CNA published naming a tracked product. Oracle publishes these on advisory day, months before NVD.

13 oracle-advisory-family not reached A tracked product family named in Oracle's own risk matrix. CPE cannot carry a suite name, only a module.

14 cna-named-product not reached A tracked product named in words by the CVE's own CNA, on a record with no CPE yet. Apache and Eclipse publish these on advisory day, before NVD adds CPE data.

15 non-deployable-product not reached The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached

16 unmatched-product not reached No tracked product matched above, and none present at all

disposition: What do we do about one that is? every rule runs

17 patch-hint not reached A reference pointing at the upstream fix: a commit, a PR, a Red Hat bug

18 open-source-maven not reached The affected package being open source on Maven, so the fix can be read

19 poc-derivable not reached An indexed exploit clearing the evidence bar to reverse-engineer, where there is no source to read

20 no-exploit not reached Nothing to build a rule from yet: no published exploit, no CISA record of exploitation and no source-level change to read

21 secure-rule-match not reached A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule

22 exploited-no-fix-or-poc not reached Somebody exploiting this CVE (a CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, or a CISA verdict of active exploitation), with no fix, source code or PoC to build a rule from

23 below-action-threshold not reached Medium or Low severity, no CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, no PoC clearing the evidence bar, no CISA verdict, no Oracle advisory

24 no-exploit-published not reached Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all

NVD ↗ · CVE.org ↗