# CVE-2022-24846: Unchecked JNDI lookups in GeoWebCache

> Attackers with admin access can trigger unchecked JNDI lookups leading to arbitrary code execution via deserialization in GeoWebCache.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4v22-v8jp-438r

## What is CVE-2022-24846?

CVE-2022-24846 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in geowebcache, published on 14 Apr 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

GeoWebCache is a tile caching server implemented in Java. The GeoWebCache disk quota mechanism can perform an unchecked JNDI lookup, which in turn can be used to perform class deserialization and result in arbitrary code execution. While in GeoWebCache the JNDI strings are provided via local configuration file, in GeoServer a user interface is provided to perform the same, that can be accessed remotely, and requires admin-level login to be used. These lookup are unrestricted in scope and can lead to code execution. The lookups are going to be restricted in GeoWebCache 1.21.0, 1.20.2, 1.19.3.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-24846?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Geoserver Geowebcache.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-24846?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-24846 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-24846 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24846 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in geowebcache

- [CVE-2023-5786](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5786/): GeoServer GeoWebCache rest.html direct request (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-24846 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-24846 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in geowebcache, published on 14 Apr 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24846 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: geowebcache. 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-2022-24846/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24846/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-24846
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-24846
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-24846

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24846/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.