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CVE-2026-40998 Spring CVE debrief

CVE-2026-40998 is a vulnerability in Spring Web Services that allows for XML External Entity (XXE) style attacks. The Jaxp13XPathTemplate evaluated XPath expressions for StreamSource and SAXSource inputs using a code path that parsed attacker-controlled XML with the JDK's default DocumentBuilderFactory behavior instead of Spring's hardened parser configuration. This vulnerability affects Spring Web Services versions 5.0.0 through 5.0.1, 4.1.0 through 4.1.3, 4.0.0 through 4.0.18, and 3.1.0 through 3.1.8.

Vendor
Spring
Product
Spring Web Services
CVSS
HIGH 8.2
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-06-11
Original CVE updated
2026-09-04
Advisory published
2026-06-11
Advisory updated
2026-09-04

Who should care

Developers and administrators of applications using affected versions of Spring Web Services should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to mitigate it.

Technical summary

The vulnerability is caused by the Jaxp13XPathTemplate using a code path that parses attacker-controlled XML with the JDK's default DocumentBuilderFactory behavior instead of Spring's hardened parser configuration. This allows for XXE style attacks, which can lead to information disclosure, denial of service, or other malicious activities.

Defensive priority

HIGH

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade to a non-affected version of Spring Web Services.
  • Implement additional security measures to protect against XXE style attacks, such as validating and sanitizing user input.

Evidence notes

The CVE-2026-40998 vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.2 and is classified as HIGH severity. The vulnerability was published on June 11, 2026, and last modified on June 11, 2026.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-40998 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40998

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2026-40998 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40998

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.