CVE-2023-28442: Geoserver for GeoNode sensitive information leak
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 21/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.64% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 50.6% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
- No fixed version is recorded, but the references include a patch (commit or PR) link.
- Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 7.5, NVD 5.3.
Low priority for now. See the fix and affected versions sections below.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
GeoNode is an open source platform that facilitates the creation, sharing, and collaborative use of geospatial data. Prior to versions 2.20.6, 2.19.6, and 2.18.7, anonymous users can obtain sensitive information about GeoNode configurations from the response of the `/geoserver/rest/about/status` Geoserver REST API endpoint. The Geoserver endpoint is secured by default, but the configuration of Geoserver for GeoNode opens a list of REST endpoints to support some of its public-facing services. The vulnerability impacts both GeoNode 3 and GeoNode 4 instances. Geoserver security configuration is provided by `geoserver-geonode-ext`. A patch for 2.20.7 has been released which blocks access to the affected endpoint. The patch has been backported to branches 2.20.6, 2.19.7, 2.19.6, and 2.18.7. All the published artifacts and Docker images have been updated accordingly. A more advanced patch has been applied to the master and development versions, which require some changes to GeoNode code. They will be available with the next 4.1.0 release. The patched configuration only has an effect on new deployments. For existing setups, the patch must be applied manually inside the Geoserver data directory. The patched file must replace the existing `<geoserver_datadir>/security/rest.properties` file.
- Published
- Mar 23, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.6% · 50th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-200
Report tools
Action score
21
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 21 / 40 · 5.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.6%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 5.3
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 7.5
- 2.2 point gap
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| geosolutionsgroup | geonode | cpe:2.3:a:geosolutionsgroup:geonode |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- geosolutionsgroup geonodebefore 2.18.7
- geosolutionsgroup geonode2.19.0 and later · before 2.19.6
- geosolutionsgroup geonode2.20.0 and later · before 2.20.6
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
GeoNode geonode
- >= 2.20.0, < 2.20.6, >= 2.19.0, < 2.19.6, < 2.18.7affected
Same product
geosolutionsgroup: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-40017Geonode Server Side Request Forgery vulnerability30Monitor
- CVE-2023-42439GeoNode SSRF Bypass to return internal host data26Monitor
- CVE-2023-26043XML External Entity (XXE) injection in GeoServer style upload functionality26Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- Later →CVE-2024-27091Mar 27, 2024 · GeoNode stored XSS to full account takeover24Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-39921Apr 10, 2026 · GeoNode < 4.4.5, 5.0.2 SSRF via Document Upload21Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-39922Apr 10, 2026 · GeoNode SSRF via Service Registration21Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- low · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- Low
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-200 · Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized ActorCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
nvd-primary
Root cause
The extension requests broader permissions than its function needs and sends the data it collects out for purposes beyond its stated function.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-200 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
{
"permissions": ["tabs", "<all_urls>"],
"background": { "service_worker": "analytics.js" }
}Fixed
{
"permissions": ["activeTab"],
"host_permissions": ["https://yildiz.example/*"]
}Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- ExcavationCAPEC-116likelihood: High · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
- FootprintingCAPEC-169likelihood: High · Very Low
- Exploiting Trust in ClientCAPEC-22likelihood: High · High
- FingerprintingCAPEC-224likelihood: High · Very Low
- ICMP Echo Request PingCAPEC-285likelihood: Medium · Low
- TCP SYN ScanCAPEC-287Low
- Enumerate Mail Exchange (MX) RecordsCAPEC-290Low
ATT&CK techniques
- System Service DiscoveryT1007
- System Network Configuration DiscoveryT1016
- Remote System DiscoveryT1018
- System Owner/User DiscoveryT1033
- Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or LocationT1036.005
- Network Service ScanningT1046
- System Network Connections DiscoveryT1049
- Process DiscoveryT1057
- Permission Groups DiscoveryT1069
- System Information DiscoveryT1082
- File and Directory DiscoveryT1083
- Account DiscoveryT1087
- Multi-Factor Authentication InterceptionT1111
- Peripheral Device DiscoveryT1120
- System Time DiscoveryT1124
- Access Token Manipulation:Token Impersonation/TheftT1134.001
Change log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Show all references (2 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.