CVE-2026-53573 in GeoNetwork
Summary
by MITRE • 08/01/2026
GeoNetwork is a catalog application to manage spatially referenced resources. From 3.12.0 until 4.2.16 and 4.4.11, unsafe redirect validation in GeonetworkOAuth2LoginAuthenticationFilter and KeycloakAuthenticationProcessingFilter permits an attacker-controlled external redirect after login. This issue is fixed in versions 4.2.16 and 4.4.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2026
The vulnerability identified in GeoNetwork affects versions between 3.12.0 and 4.2.16 as well as 4.4.11, where the authentication filters fail to properly validate redirect URLs following successful OAuth2 or Keycloak authentication processes. This flaw exists within the GeonetworkOAuth2LoginAuthenticationFilter and KeycloakAuthenticationProcessingFilter components that handle post-authentication redirection logic. The insecure implementation allows attackers to manipulate the redirect parameter in authentication requests, potentially steering users to malicious external domains rather than the intended internal application pages.
This vulnerability represents a classic unsafe redirect scenario that aligns with CWE-601 and maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566. The flaw enables an attacker to craft malicious authentication requests containing crafted redirect URLs that bypass normal validation checks. When users authenticate through OAuth2 or Keycloak providers, they may be unexpectedly redirected to attacker-controlled domains, creating opportunities for phishing attacks, credential theft, or malware distribution. The technical implementation fails to properly sanitize or validate the redirect destinations against a whitelist of approved internal domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user inconvenience to potential security breaches that could compromise sensitive spatial data management systems. Organizations relying on GeoNetwork for cataloging geospatial resources face risks where authenticated users might be redirected to malicious sites during the login process, especially in environments where users access the application from potentially compromised networks or devices. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that GeoNetwork applications typically handle sensitive geographic information and metadata that may include classified or proprietary spatial data.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing strict redirect URL validation mechanisms that enforce a whitelist approach for all post-authentication redirects. Organizations should upgrade to the fixed versions 4.2.16 and 4.4.11 where proper validation has been implemented. Additional defensive measures include configuring application-level restrictions on redirect destinations, implementing proper input sanitization for redirect parameters, and monitoring authentication logs for suspicious redirect patterns. Security teams should also consider network-level controls such as DNS filtering and web application firewalls to detect and block unauthorized external redirects. The fix addresses the root cause by ensuring that only pre-approved internal URLs can serve as redirect targets, thereby preventing attackers from exploiting this vector to conduct social engineering attacks against authenticated users.