CVE-2024-36404 GeoTools Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in evaluating XPath expressions

What is CVE-2024-36404?

CVE-2024-36404 is a critical code injection vulnerability in geotools, published on 2 Jul 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

GeoTools is an open source Java library that provides tools for geospatial data. Prior to versions 31.2, 30.4, and 29.6, Remote Code Execution (RCE) is possible if an application uses certain GeoTools functionality to evaluate XPath expressions supplied by user input. Versions 31.2, 30.4, and 29.6 contain a fix for this issue. As a workaround, GeoTools can operate with reduced functionality by removing the `gt-complex` jar from one's application. As an example of the impact, application schema `datastore` would not function without the ability to use XPath expressions to query complex content. Alternatively, one may utilize a drop-in replacement GeoTools jar from SourceForge for versions 31.1, 30.3, 30.2, 29.2, 28.2, 27.5, 27.4, 26.7, 26.4, 25.2, and 24.0. These jars are for download only and are not available from maven central, intended to quickly provide a fix to affected applications.

Weakness: CWE-95

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-36404?

24 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.geotools.xsd:gt-xsd-core, org.geotools:gt-app-schema and org.geotools:gt-complex.

How do I fix CVE-2024-36404?

Upgrade org.geotools.xsd:gt-xsd-core to a fixed version for your release line: 28.6, 29.6, 30.4 or 31.2.

Upgrade, and never evaluate templates, expressions or code built from user input. More about Code injection.

Is CVE-2024-36404 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-36404 exists.

Public exploit code: 1 Nuclei template.

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as GHSA-w3pj-wh35-fq8w.