CVE-2025-58360 is an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability identified in GeoServer, a widely used open-source server for sharing and editing geospatial data. XXE vulnerabilities occur when XML parsers process external entity references, allowing attackers to read local files, perform server-side request forgery (SSRF), or cause denial of service (DoS) by exhausting resources. GeoServer’s XML processing components are vulnerable to such attacks, enabling malicious actors to craft specially crafted XML payloads that exploit the parser’s handling of external entities. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive files, disruption of service, or potentially remote code execution depending on the server environment and configuration. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on November 28, 2025, with limited discussion and no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting. No specific affected versions or patches have been detailed yet, but the high severity rating indicates significant risk. GeoServer is commonly deployed in government agencies, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and utilities sectors, where geospatial data integrity and availability are critical. The vulnerability’s exploitation requires sending malicious XML data to GeoServer endpoints, which may not require authentication depending on the deployment. This increases the attack surface, especially for publicly accessible GeoServer instances. The lack of a CVSS score necessitates a severity assessment based on impact and exploitability factors.

The impact of CVE-2025-58360 on European organizations can be substantial due to GeoServer’s role in managing critical geospatial data used in infrastructure planning, environmental monitoring, and public services. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive location data or internal configuration files, leading to privacy violations or intelligence gathering by adversaries. Integrity could be compromised if attackers manipulate geospatial data or configurations, affecting decision-making processes. Availability impacts could disrupt essential services relying on GeoServer, such as emergency response systems or transportation management. The ease of exploitation without authentication and the potential for remote attacks increase the risk of widespread exploitation, especially for organizations with publicly accessible GeoServer instances. European entities in sectors like government, utilities, and environmental agencies are particularly vulnerable, as they often rely on GeoServer for critical operations. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity rating underscores the urgency of addressing this vulnerability to prevent future attacks.

To mitigate CVE-2025-58360, European organizations should immediately audit their GeoServer deployments to identify exposure to XML external entity processing. Administrators should disable external entity resolution in XML parsers used by GeoServer by configuring parser features such as 'http://apache.org/xml/features/disallow-doctype-decl' and 'http://xml.org/sax/features/external-general-entities' to false. Network segmentation should be enforced to restrict access to GeoServer instances, limiting exposure to trusted internal networks only. Organizations should monitor for unusual XML payloads or spikes in traffic indicative of exploitation attempts. Applying security patches promptly once released by GeoServer maintainers is critical. Additionally, implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XXE payloads can provide an additional layer of defense. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on XML processing components will help identify residual risks. Finally, educating developers and administrators about secure XML handling practices will reduce the likelihood of similar vulnerabilities in the future.