The Spring Framework has identified a high-severity vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-41249, which affects the annotation detection mechanism. This vulnerability allows the misuse of security annotations, particularly in applications utilizing Spring Security's @EnableMethodSecurity feature. The risk to organizations includes improper authorization decisions, leaving potential security gaps.
This vulnerability is classified with a CVSS score of 7.5, indicating a high severity level. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately, as the potential for misuse exists in scenarios where annotations are applied to methods within type hierarchies with parameterized super types that utilize unbounded generics.
The exploitation status remains unclear, as there is no known public exploit associated with this vulnerability. However, organizations leveraging the affected functionalities should remain vigilant and assess their environments for potential exposure.
Given the nature of the vulnerability and its potential impact on authorization processes, it is critical for organizations to respond promptly to ensure the integrity of their security frameworks.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-2025-41249 describes a vulnerability in the Spring Framework's annotation detection mechanism. The issue arises when the framework incorrectly resolves annotations on methods within type hierarchies that utilize parameterized super types with unbounded generics. This misconfiguration can lead to improper authorization decisions, especially for applications using Spring Security's @EnableMethodSecurity feature.
The vulnerability is classified as CWE-285, which pertains to improper authorization. The CVSS score of 7.5 signifies a high risk, emphasizing the need for immediate attention. As of the publication date on September 16, 2025, there is no known public exploit, but organizations should remain aware of the risks associated with not addressing this vulnerability.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2025-41249 lies in the annotation detection mechanism of the Spring Framework. Specifically, when dealing with method annotations in inheritance hierarchies that involve parameterized types, the framework may fail to accurately resolve the annotations. This can result in the application incorrectly applying security rules, potentially allowing unauthorized access.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is classified as NETWORK, with a low attack complexity, and it does not require any privileges or user interaction to exploit. The implications include a high impact on confidentiality, with no integrity or availability impact indicated.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations using Spring Security with the @EnableMethodSecurity feature are at significant risk due to this vulnerability. The potential for unauthorized access to sensitive resources could have severe implications for data confidentiality and overall application security. The blast radius of this issue may extend to any application utilizing affected components, making immediate action critical.
Urgency for remediation cannot be overstated. Given the high CVSS score, organizations should prioritize patching immediately. The potential exploitation of this vulnerability could result in unauthorized access, leading to data breaches and compliance violations.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions of the Spring Framework that utilize the @EnableMethodSecurity feature are potentially vulnerable to this issue. Organizations should ensure they are using the latest version with the necessary patches applied.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2025-41249, organizations should prioritize applying the latest patches provided by the Spring Framework. If immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling the @EnableMethodSecurity feature until a patch is applied. For further details on remediation strategies, organizations can refer to the penetration testing services to assess potential vulnerabilities in the application.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor application logs for anomalies related to authorization decisions. Look for unusual patterns in access control that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, ensure that security controls are in place to log any unauthorized access attempts, which can serve as indicators of potential exploitation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
CVE-2025-41249 exemplifies a critical aspect of security in software frameworks, particularly related to authorization mechanisms. Security teams must be vigilant in reviewing the implementation of security annotations and ensure they are correctly applied to prevent vulnerabilities. The ongoing trend of vulnerabilities related to misconfigured security features underscores the need for thorough security assessments.
Organizations should invest in comprehensive security training for developers to ensure best practices in implementing security features. For further insights into securing applications, consider exploring our security testing best practices and penetration testing methodology resources.
Continual assessment of security measures and adaptation to emerging threats is essential to maintaining a robust security posture.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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