CVE-2026-22732 in Spring Security
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2026
When applications specify HTTP response headers for servlet applications using Spring Security, there is the possibility that the HTTP Headers will not be written. This issue affects Spring Security: from 5.7.0 through 5.7.21, from 5.8.0 through 5.8.23, from 6.3.0 through 6.3.14, from 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, from 6.5.0 through 6.5.8, from 7.0.0 through 7.0.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in Spring Security's HTTP header handling mechanism that can result in incomplete or missing security headers being transmitted in HTTP responses. The issue manifests when applications utilizing Spring Security specify HTTP response headers for servlet applications, creating a scenario where security-critical headers may fail to be properly written to the response. This affects multiple major versions of Spring Security across different release lines, indicating a widespread impact that spans from version 5.7.0 through 5.7.21, 5.8.0 through 5.8.23, 6.3.0 through 6.3.14, 6.4.0 through 6.4.14, 6.5.0 through 6.5.8, and 7.0.0 through 7.0.3. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it directly impacts the security posture of applications that rely on proper header configuration for protection against various web-based attacks.
The technical flaw stems from a failure in the header writing process within Spring Security's servlet application handling. When applications configure security headers such as Content Security Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, or other security-related HTTP headers, the framework may not consistently ensure these headers are properly written to the HTTP response object. This can occur due to improper handling of response object state, race conditions in header processing, or flawed logic in the header writing pipeline. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-116 as improper encoding or escaping of output, though it more specifically relates to security header injection failures that can lead to weakened security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it can leave applications exposed to multiple attack vectors that rely on proper HTTP header configuration for protection. Without properly written security headers, applications become vulnerable to clickjacking attacks due to missing X-Frame-Options headers, cross-site scripting vulnerabilities due to inadequate Content Security Policy headers, and other attacks that depend on specific header configurations for mitigation. This affects the fundamental security controls that organizations rely on to protect their web applications from common web-based exploits. The vulnerability can also impact compliance with security standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, as missing security headers represent a failure to implement basic web application security controls.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of their Spring Security implementations to versions that address this header writing inconsistency. The remediation process involves upgrading to patched versions of Spring Security, specifically ensuring that applications are running on versions beyond the affected ranges mentioned in the CVE. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify applications that may be impacted and verify that security headers are properly configured and transmitted in all HTTP responses. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that can detect missing security headers in application responses can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts. The mitigation strategy should also include reviewing existing security header configurations to ensure that applications are properly implementing security controls even when the underlying framework may not consistently write headers. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security frameworks and implementing robust testing procedures that validate security header injection mechanisms in web applications.