Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2023-25157 is a critical-severity SQL Injection (CWE-89) vulnerability in Osgeo Geoserver. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 0.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
GeoServer, an open source Java-based server for sharing and editing geospatial data, contains a SQL injection vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-25157. The flaw resides in the handling of the OGC Filter expression language and Common Query Language (CQL) within the Web Feature Service, Web Map Service, and Web Coverage Service protocols when the PostGIS Datastore is in use, and is classified under CWE-89 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can supply crafted CQL or Filter expressions that target functions such as strEndsWith, strStartsWith, PropertyIsLike, or FeatureId, allowing them to execute arbitrary SQL statements against the underlying database and potentially achieve full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Official advisories recommend upgrading to GeoServer 2.21.4 or 2.22.2. For instances that cannot be updated immediately, administrators can disable the PostGIS Datastore encode functions setting to block misuse of the string functions and enable the preparedStatements setting to mitigate the FeatureId vector. The associated EPSS score has remained at a peak of 0.9406 since disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-0652
Vulnerability 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…
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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 ``strEndsWith``, ``strStartsWith`` and ``PropertyIsLike `` misuse and enable the PostGIS DataStore *preparedStatements* setting to mitigate the ``FeatureId`` misuse.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V6.2.5
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices directly target injection flaws during coding and review so largely prevent CWE-89 introduction, yet the single broad outcome leaves residual risk from incomplete neutralization techniques or missed edge cases.
Training raises developer awareness of SQLi risks and can reduce introduction likelihood (partial) but removes none of the actual coding flaw's risk by itself since technical neutralization is still required.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
The same secure-coding and static-analysis activities surface missing neutralization of SQL metacharacters before the system is accepted.
Early warnings and shared best-practice information help organizations apply the latest remediation techniques against SQL-injection vulnerabilities.
Threat-intelligence feeds that surface new SQL-injection campaigns enable rapid updates to query-construction defenses and detection signatures before exploitation occurs.
Secure-coding rules and security testing phases mandate the use of parameterized queries or equivalent escaping, preventing the construction of dynamic SQL statements from untrusted input.
Language-specific secure coding rules, peer review and SAST together prevent the construction of SQL statements from untrusted data without proper parameterization or escaping.