VMware Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux up to 4.3.x Environment Variable expression language injection

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as problematic has been reported in VMware Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux 3.1.x/4.0.x/4.1.x/4.2.x/4.3.x. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Environment Variable Handler. Performing a manipulation results in expression language injection. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-41253. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in VMware Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux 3.1.x/4.0.x/4.1.x/4.2.x/4.3.x. This affects an unknown code of the component Environment Variable Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a expression language injection vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-917. The product constructs all or part of an expression language (EL) statement in a framework such as a Java Server Page (JSP) using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended EL statement before it is executed. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality. The summary by CVE is:

The following versions of Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux may be vulnerable to the ability to expose environment variables and system properties to attackers. An application should be considered vulnerable when all the following are true: * The application is using Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux (Spring Cloud Gateway Server WebMVC is not vulnerable). * An admin or untrusted third party using Spring Expression Language (SpEL) to access environment variables or system properties via routes. * An untrusted third party could create a route that uses SpEL to access environment variables or system properties if: * The Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux actuator web endpoint is enabled via management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=gateway and management.endpoint.gateway.enabled=trueor management.endpoint.gateway.access=unrestricte. * The actuator endpoints are available to attackers. * The actuator endpoints are unsecured.

The weakness was published by Psytester. It is possible to read the advisory at spring.io. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-41253 since 04/16/2025. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/16/2025).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Type

• Cloud Software

Vendor

• VMware

Name

• Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux

Version

• 3.1.x
• 4.0.x
• 4.1.x
• 4.2.x
• 4.3.x

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.vmware.com/

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