Spring FrameworkFramework / library · VMware
CVE-2026-41852
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in Spring Expression Language (SpEL) evaluation logic allows for arbitrary zero-argument method invocation, even within restricted or read-only contexts, which may allow an attacker to invoke unintended application logic. Affected versions: Spring Framework 7.0.0 through 7.0.7; 6.2.0 through 6.2.18; 6.1.0 through 6.1.27; 5.3.0 through 5.3.48.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is a SpEL (Spring Expression Language) sandbox escape vulnerability. The bug allows attackers to invoke arbitrary zero-argument methods even when SpEL is running in restricted or read-only contexts that should block such access. This bypasses intended security boundaries in applications using SpEL for user-provided expressions.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Spring FrameworkFramework / library
>= 5.3.0, < 5.3.49>= 6.1.0, < 6.1.28>= 6.2.0, < 6.2.18.1>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.7.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Spring Framework versionCheck your project's dependency management file (pom.xml, build.gradle, gradle.lock, or package manager) for the spring-core or spring-framework version. Also check the actual JAR files in your deployment (spring-core-*.jar in the lib directory).Affected if The version falls within any of these ranges: 5.3.0 to 5.3.48, 6.1.0 to 6.1.27, 6.2.0 to 6.2.18, or 7.0.0 to 7.0.7.
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Verify Spring Expression Language is in useSearch your codebase for imports and usage of org.springframework.expression package, particularly SpelExpressionParser, Expression, or ExpressionParser. Also check for #{} or T() SpEL syntax in configuration files (XML, properties, YAML) or annotations.Affected if The application uses SpEL parsing through SpelExpressionParser or similar classes.
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Identify SpEL usage in restricted contextsSearch code for SpEL usage in security-sensitive contexts: StandardTypeLocator, TypeLocator, read-only Expression evaluation, template parsing with restrictions, or custom EvaluationContext implementations that limit accessible methods. Look for code that creates restricted EvaluationContext objects.Affected if SpEL is evaluated within restricted or sandboxed EvaluationContext implementations that are intended to limit method access.
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Check for zero-argument method calls in SpEL expressionsReview any SpEL expressions used in your application that reference methods. Look for patterns like #{someBean.methodName()} where methodName takes no arguments, especially in templates, dynamic queries, or configuration.Affected if Zero-argument methods are invoked through SpEL in contexts where restrictions were intended.
Your environment is affected if you run a vulnerable Spring Framework version AND use SpEL in restricted or read-only contexts where method invocation should be limited but zero-argument methods can still be called.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped5.3.496.1.286.2.18.1
Upgrade Spring Framework to version 7.0.8+, 6.2.19+, 6.1.28+, or 5.3.49+ to obtain the patch. Review all SpEL usage in the application to identify and test affected expression evaluations.
Spring Framework 5.3.49, 6.1.28, 6.2.18.1, or 7.0.7.1 depending on the branch in use
- Identify all applications and services using Spring Framework versions within the affected ranges: 5.3.0-5.3.48, 6.1.0-6.1.27, 6.2.0-6.2.18, 7.0.0-7.0.7
- Review application code that utilizes Spring Expression Language (SpEL) to understand where user input or untrusted data flows into SpEL evaluation, particularly in restricted or read-only contexts
- For Spring Framework 5.3.x: upgrade to version 5.3.49; for 6.1.x: upgrade to 6.1.28; for 6.2.x: upgrade to 6.2.18.1; for 7.0.x: upgrade to 7.0.7.1
- Update dependency management files (e.g., pom.xml, build.gradle) to specify the appropriate fixed version
- Test the upgrade in a staging or non-production environment to verify compatibility with existing application functionality
- Deploy the upgraded application to production
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Spring Framework
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing16.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,576.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-41852 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-41852 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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