# CVE-2022-24818: Unchecked JNDI lookups in GeoTools

> An attacker with admin access can trigger unchecked JNDI lookups in GeoTools to achieve arbitrary code execution via deserialization.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jvh2-668r-g75x

## What is CVE-2022-24818?

CVE-2022-24818 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in geotools, published on 13 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

GeoTools is an open source Java library that provides tools for geospatial data. The GeoTools library has a number of data sources that can perform unchecked JNDI lookups, which in turn can be used to perform class deserialization and result in arbitrary code execution. Similar to the Log4J case, the vulnerability can be triggered if the JNDI names are user-provided, but requires admin-level login to be triggered. The lookups are now restricted in GeoTools 26.4, GeoTools 25.6, and GeoTools 24.6. Users unable to upgrade should ensure that any downstream application should not allow usage of remotely provided JNDI strings.

Weakness: CWE-917 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an Expression Language Statement), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-24818?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Geotools Geotools.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-24818?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-24818 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-24818 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24818 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2022-24818: Java Deserialization via Unchecked JNDI Lookups in GeoServer and GeoTools (github_poc): https://github.com/mbadanoiu/CVE-2022-24818

## Other vulnerabilities in geotools

- [CVE-2025-30220](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-30220/): GeoTools, GeoServer, and GeoNetwork XML External Entity (XXE) Processing Vulnerability in XSD schema handling (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2023-25158](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25158/): Unfiltered SQL Injection in Geotools (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-24818 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-24818 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in geotools, published on 13 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24818 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: geotools. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24818/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24818/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-24818
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-24818
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-24818

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24818/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.