GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72
MEDIUMGeoServer has a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in its WMS GetFeatureInfo HTML format
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app☕org.geoserver:gs-wmsReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in the WMS GetFeatureInfo HTML output format that enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in a victim's browser through specially crafted SLD_BODY parameters.
Details
The WMS service setting that controls HTML auto-escaping is either disabled by default, or completely missing, in the affected versions (see workarounds).
Impact
If an attacker can control a script that is executed in the victim's browser, then they can typically fully compromise that user. Amongst other things, the attacker can:
- Perform any action within the application that the user can perform.
- View any information that the user is able to view.
- Modify any information that the user is able to modify.
- Initiate interactions with other application users, including malicious attacks, that will appear to originate from the initial victim user.
Workarounds
Changing any of the following WMS service settings should mitigate this vulnerability in most environments:
- Enable GetFeatureInfo HTML auto-escaping (available in GeoServer 2.21.3+ and 2.22.1+)
- Disable dynamic styling
- Disable GetFeatureInfo text/html MIME type
References
https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOS-11297 https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/pull/7406
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app | all versions | 2.25.0 |
| ☕Maven | org.geoserver:gs-wms | all versions | 2.25.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.geoserver.web:gs-web-app to 2.25.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-w66h-j855-qr72 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.