CISA urges critical GeoServer patch
CISA has mandated federal agencies to patch a critical GeoServer vulnerability by 5 August 2024, as it is actively exploited.
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has mandated federal agencies to patch a critical vulnerability in the GeoTools plugin of GeoServer by 5 August 2024. This open-source server, written in Java, is used for sharing, processing, and editing geospatial data.
The remote code execution (RCE) flaw, identified as CVE-2024-36401, is actively exploited in the wild. It allows unauthenticated attackers to execute code remotely via specially crafted input.
GeoServer maintainers have addressed the issue in versions 2.23.6, 2.24.4, and 2.25.2, urging users to upgrade immediately.
Why does it matter?
Despite the unclear origin of the exploitation, a proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability surfaced recently online. The Shadowserver Foundation detected exploitation signs on July 9, advising users to check for compromises and apply patches. While the CISA directive targets federal agencies, it is also recommended for private enterprises to follow suit for enhanced security.
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