CVE-2026-47858 in Tools for Eclipse
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Starting Spring Boot applications in the Spring Tools with the live information mode enabled makes the running application vulnerable against JMX-based remote code execution. Affected Spring Products and Versions: Spring Tools for Eclipse: 5.2.0 and earlier Spring Tools for VSCode / Cursor / Theia: 2.2.0 and earlier
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability stems from an insecure configuration in Spring Tools development environments that enables live information mode, creating a critical remote code execution vector through JMX (Java Management Extensions) interfaces. When developers launch Spring Boot applications within these IDEs with live mode activated, the underlying JMX connectors are exposed without proper authentication mechanisms, allowing attackers to exploit this misconfiguration and execute arbitrary code on the target system. The flaw exists specifically in the development tooling rather than the Spring Boot framework itself, making it a configuration issue that affects the development environment rather than production deployments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relies on the default JMX exposure settings within the Spring Tools IDEs, where the live information mode automatically starts JMX connectors that listen on network interfaces without requiring authentication. This configuration creates an attack surface where remote adversaries can connect to the exposed JMX endpoints and leverage the available management operations to execute malicious code. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the development environment where developers typically have elevated privileges and access to sensitive information, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise development systems.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations that use these IDEs in their development processes. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to development environments, potentially leading to code injection attacks, data theft, or further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects multiple Spring Tools products including Eclipse, VSCode, Cursor, and Theia implementations, indicating a widespread impact across various development platforms. According to CWE standards, this represents a weakness in the security configuration of the development environment, specifically categorized under CWE-284 for improper access control.
The mitigation strategies involve disabling the live information mode when not actively required or ensuring proper network segmentation between development and production environments. Security practitioners should implement strict firewall rules to block external access to JMX ports and configure authentication mechanisms for any exposed management interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools that can detect exposed JMX endpoints within their development environments, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation through development tool vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure configuration management in development environments, as many organizations tend to overlook the security implications of developer tooling. The attack surface created by these tools can serve as an entry point for sophisticated attacks that might otherwise be prevented through proper network segmentation or access control policies. Regular security assessments of development environments are essential to identify and remediate such misconfigurations before they can be exploited by malicious actors, particularly in environments where multiple developers have access to the same systems and where sensitive code repositories reside.
The flaw demonstrates how seemingly benign development features can create significant security risks when not properly secured, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security awareness training for development teams. Organizations should establish clear policies regarding the use of live information modes and ensure that all developers understand the security implications of enabling such features in their development environments. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current versions of development tools, as newer releases typically include improved security configurations and reduced attack surfaces compared to older versions that may contain known vulnerabilities.