CVE-2018-1257 in Spring Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Spring Framework, versions 5.0.x prior to 5.0.6, versions 4.3.x prior to 4.3.17, and older unsupported versions allows applications to expose STOMP over WebSocket endpoints with a simple, in-memory STOMP broker through the spring-messaging module. A malicious user (or attacker) can craft a message to the broker that can lead to a regular expression, denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1257 affects the Spring Framework's messaging module and represents a significant security flaw that enables denial of service attacks through crafted regular expressions. This vulnerability specifically impacts applications utilizing STOMP over WebSocket endpoints with simple in-memory STOMP brokers, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the framework's handling of regular expression patterns. The issue stems from the framework's insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied data when processing STOMP messages, particularly those involving regular expression operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious STOMP messages that contain specially crafted regular expressions designed to cause catastrophic backtracking or excessive computational overhead.
The technical flaw manifests in the Spring Framework's processing of STOMP messages through the spring-messaging module, where regular expressions are used to match and process incoming messages. When applications expose STOMP endpoints with in-memory brokers, the framework processes these regular expressions without adequate protection against malicious input patterns that can cause exponential execution time or resource exhaustion. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to craft messages that trigger regular expression denial of service conditions, where seemingly innocuous input can cause the application to consume excessive CPU cycles or memory resources. This flaw aligns with CWE-400, which addresses unchecked resource consumption, and represents a classic example of how regular expression processing can be exploited for denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can lead to complete application unavailability and system resource exhaustion across affected Spring Framework deployments. Organizations running applications with exposed STOMP WebSocket endpoints using in-memory brokers face significant risk, as attackers can consume system resources without requiring authentication or specialized privileges. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the Spring Framework, including 5.0.x prior to 5.0.6 and 4.3.x prior to 4.3.17, indicating a widespread exposure across various deployment environments. This vulnerability can be exploited through the standard WebSocket communication channels that Spring Framework applications use for real-time messaging, making it particularly concerning for applications that rely on continuous message processing and real-time data exchange.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1257 require immediate application updates to supported Spring Framework versions that address the regular expression handling flaws. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and upgrading to Spring Framework versions 5.0.6 or 4.3.17 and later, which contain fixes for the vulnerable regular expression processing logic. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation and sanitization for all STOMP message content, limiting the complexity of regular expressions used in message processing, and monitoring WebSocket connections for unusual resource consumption patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing rate limiting and connection throttling mechanisms for WebSocket endpoints, as well as establishing automated detection systems for potential regular expression denial of service attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service and T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the multi-faceted attack vectors that can be leveraged through this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of STOMP endpoints and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious WebSocket traffic patterns associated with regular expression denial of service attacks.