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GeoServer

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GeoServer Zero-Day Targeted in Active Exploitation Attempts, Can Lead to RCE

A CVSS 9.8 SQL injection zero-day in GeoServer's PostGIS datastore enables RCE and drew active exploitation; fixes shipped in versions 3.0.1, 2.28.5, 2.27.6.

A SQL injection flaw in GeoServer's jsonArrayContains function within the GeoTools PostGIS datastore (GHSA-mqjf-5f49-2fjh, CVSS 9.8) was disclosed August 12, 2026, and saw hundreds of exploitation attempts within hours per watchTowr. An attacker-controlled value is interpolated into a PostgreSQL jsonb_path_exists() expression without escaping; with superuser or pg_execute_server_program privileges it escalates to OS command execution via WFS 1.0. GeoServer released versions 3.0.1, 2.28.5, and 2.27.6, and the flaw is a regression of CVE-2023-25158. GeoServer has a history of mass exploitation, including CVE-2024-36401 used for botnets and proxies.

Fake CVE-2023

A fake PoC for WinRAR RCE CVE-2023-40477 posted on GitHub actually deploys VenomRAT through a multi-step infection chain targeting researchers.

Four days after Zero Day Initiative publicly disclosed the WinRAR RCE vulnerability CVE-2023-40477 on August 17, 2023, an actor using the alias whalersplonk published a fake proof-of-concept on GitHub. The Python script actually repurposed public PoC code for GeoServer SQL injection CVE-2023-25157 and triggered an infection chain ending in VenomRAT. The README and an accompanying video lured users into running the script; the video drew over 100 plays. Unit 42 assesses the actor was opportunistic, targeting other miscreants adopting new vulnerabilities rather than researchers specifically.

GeoServer Zero-Day Is Already Being Probed. That’s the Problem

Unpatched GeoServer zero-day enabling SQL injection and possible RCE is being actively probed across exposed systems.

A zero-day in GeoServer's jsonArrayContains functionality allows unauthorized SQL injection and, in some configurations, remote code execution. Disclosed on August 12, 2026 without a CVE ID, it drew hundreds of exploitation probes from watchTowr within hours. No patch is available yet; GeoServer was previously mass-exploited via CVE-2024-36401.

Security Affairs · Aug 15, 2026Exploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2024-36401

Related CVEs

  • Unauthenticated RCE in OSGeo GeoServer via GeoTools XPath Injection
    OSGeo GeoServer ships the GeoTools library, which evaluates feature property names directly as XPath expressions without proper neutralization (CWE-95), so attacker-supplied input is executed as code rather than treated as data. A remote, unauthenticated attacker triggers the flaw by sending specially crafted requests to a GeoServer service, causing the injected expression to be evaluated in the server's context. Successful exploitation results in remote code execution on the host running GeoServer, giving the attacker control over the mapping server and any data or credentials it can reach. Any organization running GeoServer is affected, and the underlying GeoTools flaw also extends to dependent applications such as GeoNetwork, which shipped its own fix for an unauthenticated RCE chain affecting government geoportal backends. The flaw is being actively exploited: it was added to CISA KEV on 2024-07-15, and EPSS assigns a 99.8% probability of exploitation within 30 days.
    · OSGeo GeoServer Multiple releases prior to the vendor-patched builds (fixed in the 2.23.x, 2.24.x and 2.25.x maintenance lines; exact fixed releases per the OSGeo advisory: 2.2 · OSGeo GeoNetwork (bundles the vulnerable GeoTools library) KEV PoC ×3large
  • GeoServer is an open source software server written in Java that allows users to share and edit geospatial data.
    GeoServer is an open source software server written in Java that allows users to share and edit geospatial data. GeoServer includes support for the OGC Filter expression language and the OGC Common Query Language (CQL) as part of the Web Feature Service (WFS) and Web Map Service (WMS) protocols. CQL is also supported through the Web Coverage Service (WCS) protocol for ImageMosaic coverages. Users are advised to upgrade to either version 2.21.4, or version 2.22.2 to resolve this issue. Users unable to upgrade should disable the PostGIS Datastore *encode functions* setting to mitigate…
    · osgeo geoserver
  • GeoTools is an open source Java library that provides tools for geospatial data.
    GeoTools is an open source Java library that provides tools for geospatial data. GeoTools includes support for OGC Filter expression language parsing, encoding and execution against a range of datastore. SQL Injection Vulnerabilities have been found when executing OGC Filters with JDBCDataStore implementations. Users are advised to upgrade to either version 27.4 or to 28.2 to resolve this issue. Users unable to upgrade may disable `encode functions` for PostGIS DataStores or enable `prepared statements` for JDBCDataStores as a partial mitigation.
    · geotools geotools
  • RARLAB WinRAR Recovery Volume Improper Validation of Array Index Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.
    RARLAB WinRAR Recovery Volume Improper Validation of Array Index Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of RARLAB WinRAR. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the processing of recovery volumes. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a memory access past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this…
    · rarlab winrar

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