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The CVE-2025-58360 vulnerability in GeoServer is an XML External Entity (XXE) flaw that affects versions from 2.26.0 to before 2.26.2 and before 2.25.6. It occurs in the WMS (Web Map Service) GetMap operation endpoint at /geoserver/wms, which accepts XML input for processing map requests. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient sanitization and restriction of external entities in XML parsing. When a malicious XML request is sent to this endpoint, the XML parser resolves external entities defined within the DOCTYPE declaration. An attacker can craft a specially designed XML payload that includes external entity references, such as referencing local files via the “file://” protocol or internal network resources via URLs. For example, by defining an entity that points to /etc/passwd and including it in the XML content, the parser may read and return sensitive file contents from the server. This exploitation leverages the default configuration of XML processors in GeoServer, which do not disable external entity resolution. The attack can be performed remotely by sending HTTP POST requests with XML payloads, leading to unauthorized data disclosure, server-side request forgery (SSRF), or denial of service. The vulnerability is critical because it allows attackers to access internal files, potentially revealing credentials, configuration files, or other sensitive information, and could enable further network penetration. Patches in versions 2.25.6, 2.26.3, and 2.27.0 address this by implementing proper input validation and disabling external entity resolution in the XML parser.
Platform: GeoServer
Version: 2.26.0-2.26.1, <2.25.6
Vulnerability: XML External Entity (XXE)
Severity: Critical
Date: 11/25/2025
Prediction: Patched versions released
What Undercode Say:
Analytics:
curl -X POST http://vulnerable-geoserver/geoserver/wms -H “Content-Type: text/xml” -d ‘ ]>
xmlstarlet val –external-entities=no payload.xml
grep -r “DOCTYPE” GeoServer_source_code/
How Exploit:
Craft XML payload with external entity referencing local file. Send via POST to /geoserver/wms. Retrieve sensitive data from response. Automate with scripts for reconnaissance.
Protection from this CVE:
Update to patched versions. Disable XXE in XML parsers. Implement input sanitization. Use web application firewalls.
Impact:
Data disclosure, SSRF, denial of service, credential theft, network infiltration.
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Sources:
Reported By: nvd.nist.gov
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