CVE-2009-1190 — spring-core
CVE-2009-1190 is a CWE-399 vulnerability in org.springframework:spring-core. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.springframework:spring-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Spring Framework Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
org.springframework:spring-coreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Algorithmic complexity vulnerability in the java.util.regex.Pattern.compile method in Sun Java Development Kit (JDK) before 1.6, when used with spring.jar in SpringSource Spring Framework 1.1.0 through 2.5.6 and 3.0.0.M1 through 3.0.0.M2 and dm Server 1.0.0 through 1.0.2, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via serializable data with a long regex string containing multiple optional groups, a related issue to CVE-2004-2540.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.springframework:spring-core | ≥ 1.1.0&&< 3.0.0.RELEASE | 3.0.0.RELEASEorg.springframework:spring-core:3.0.0.RELEASE |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.springframework:spring-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.springframework:spring-core to 3.0.0.RELEASE or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2009-1190 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2009-1190 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2009-1190. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2009-1190 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2009-1190 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.