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Spring Authorization Server EUVDEUVD-2026-44904

| CVE-2026-22752 CRITICAL
Improper Authentication (CWE-287)
2026-07-16 vmware GHSA-h9v6-4cv4-ghhq
9.6
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: vmware
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privilege authenticated context
  2. Delivery
    Send crafted auth request to Spring Auth Server
  3. Exploit
    Bypass primary authentication check
  4. Execution
    Cross security boundary via scope change
  5. Impact
    Access protected resources and tokens

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication mechanism validation
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Defense Evasion, Initial Access

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the affected component to be Spring Authorization Server running one of the listed versions (7.0.0-7.0.4, 1.5.0-1.5.6, 1.4.0-1.4.9, or 1.3.0-1.3.10) and reachable over the network (AV:N). Per the CVSS vector, the attacker must be authenticated at a low privilege level (PR:L) - for example, possessing a valid low-tier user account or an enrolled OAuth client - so this is not a fully unauthenticated bypass; no user interaction is needed (UI:N) and complexity is low (AC:L). The primary limiting factor is that PR:L precondition: environments that do not expose the authorization server to lower-trust authenticated actors have a materially smaller attack surface. The exact feature, endpoint, or configuration that triggers the bypass is not specified in the provided data (no CWE and only a summary description), so the precise triggering condition must be confirmed against the spring.io advisory.

Impact

The signals largely align toward genuine priority: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N describes a network-reachable, low-complexity attack needing only low privileges and no user interaction, with a scope change that lets impact cross from the authorization server into the protected systems it fronts. However, PR:L means this is not a fully pre-authentication flaw - the attacker must first hold some low-level authenticated context (e.g., a valid low-privilege account or client credential), which meaningfully raises the bar versus a PR:N bypass. Countervailing data is thin: no EPSS score, KEV status, POC, or SVCC/SSVC decision data was supplied, so exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified and should not be assumed high despite the 9.6 base score. The absence of a CWE and of granular vendor detail means the exact bypass mechanism is unconfirmed from the provided data - verify specifics against the spring.io advisory before finalizing exposure conclusions.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already holds a low-privilege credential or registered client on the affected Spring Authorization Server sends crafted requests to the authentication/authorization flow to bypass the intended authentication check. Leveraging the scope change, they obtain access to protected resources or tokens they should not be entitled to, compromising confidentiality and integrity of downstream resource servers. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and the low attack complexity means a working exploit, once developed, would be reliable.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity.
No patch listed yet 0.5% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Jul 16, 2026

Authentication bypass in VMware/Spring's Spring Authorization Server (versions 7.0.0-7.0.4, 1.5.0-1.5.6, 1.4.0-1.4.9, and 1.3.0-1.3.10) allows a low-privileged authenticated actor to circumvent authentication controls and access protected resources across a security boundary. The CVSS 9.6 (Critical) rating reflects a scope change with high confidentiality and integrity impact but no availability effect. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and it is not listed in CISA KEV, but the near-maximum score in a widely deployed OAuth2/OIDC authorization component makes this a high-priority patch.

RemediationAI

Patch available per vendor advisory: upgrade Spring Authorization Server to the fixed release for your train as published at https://spring.io/security/cve-2026-22752 - the fixes follow the affected ranges (i.e., the next patch release above 7.0.4, 1.5.6, 1.4.9, and 1.3.10), but exact fixed version numbers are not included in the provided input and should be read directly from that advisory rather than assumed. Prefer moving to the current supported 7.0.x line where feasible, since the 1.3.x-1.5.x branches are older and may have limited future maintenance. If immediate upgrade is impossible, apply compensating controls: restrict network access to the authorization-server endpoints to trusted clients only (front it with a gateway/allowlist), tighten and audit issuance of the low-privilege accounts/clients that satisfy the PR:L precondition, and increase monitoring of token-issuance and authorization flows for anomalous access to protected resources - noting these controls reduce but do not eliminate exposure and may disrupt legitimate clients if the allowlist is too narrow.

Affected VersionsENISA

Spring Authorization Server 1.3.0 ≤1.3.10
Spring Authorization Server 1.4.0 ≤1.4.9
Spring Authorization Server 7.0.0 ≤7.0.4
Spring Authorization Server 1.5.0 ≤1.5.6

Affected Packages

euvd spring_authorization_server no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Spring Authorization Server is the reference OAuth 2.1 and OpenID Connect 1.0 authorization-server implementation built on the Spring Security framework, used in Java applications to issue and validate access/ID tokens for downstream resource servers. The single affected CPE is cpe:2.3:a:spring_security:spring_authorization_server, spanning both the legacy 1.3.x-1.5.x lines and the modern 7.0.x line. The advisory characterizes the root cause as an 'authentication bypass by primary weakness,' meaning a flaw in the core authentication decision logic itself rather than a secondary configuration error; no CWE was assigned (CWE: N/A), but the class aligns with CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)/CWE-305 (Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness). Because an authorization server sits at the trust root for token issuance, a bypass here undermines the authentication guarantees relied upon by every client and resource server it protects.

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Severity by source

Vendor (vmware) PRIMARY 9.6 CRITICAL
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
vuln.today AI 9.6 CRITICAL

Network-reachable auth bypass needing a low-privilege account (PR:L), no interaction, with a scope change into protected systems yielding high confidentiality/integrity impact but no availability effect.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (vmware).

CVSS VectorVendor: vmware

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

DescriptionCVE.org

Authentication bypass by primary weakness vulnerability in Spring Security Spring Authorization Server.

This issue affects Spring Authorization Server: from 7.0.0 through 7.0.4, from 1.5.0 through 1.5.6, from 1.4.0 through 1.4.9, from 1.3.0 through 1.3.10.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Spring Authorization Server (versions 7.0.0-7.0.4, 1.5.0-1.5.6, 1.4.0-1.4.9, and 1.3.0-1.3.10) contains a critical authentication bypass vulnerability allowing low-privileged authenticated users to escalate access and retrieve protected resources beyond their authorization scope. Organizations running these versions face immediate risk of unauthorized data exposure and compromise of application security boundaries across OAuth2/OIDC implementations.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Implement network segmentation to isolate authorization services; enhance monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns and cross-boundary resource access attempts; enforce least-privilege access for all service accounts; restrict network connectivity to authorization components to trusted services only; temporarily restrict non-essential API scopes at the application layer pending vendor patch availability; maintain real-time alerting for failed authentication and access denial events.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.5%
Top 61% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
specialized OAuth2/OIDC server within the widely used Spring ecosystem
Social Media
6
Sightings
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.5%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
Very High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

48
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +48
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

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