CVE-2020-5408 — spring-security-core
MEDIUMCVE-2020-5408 is a medium-severity (CVSS 6.5) CWE-329 vulnerability in org.springframework.security:spring-security-core. A fix is available for org.springframework.security:spring-security-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Insufficient Entropy in Spring Security
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2020-5408 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 394,803 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core☕org.springframework.security:spring-security-core☕org.springframework.security:spring-security-core☕org.springframework.security:spring-security-core☕org.springframework.security:spring-security-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
Spring Security versions 5.3.x prior to 5.3.2, 5.2.x prior to 5.2.4, 5.1.x prior to 5.1.10, 5.0.x prior to 5.0.16 and 4.2.x prior to 4.2.16 use a fixed null initialization vector with CBC Mode in the implementation of the queryable text encryptor. A malicious user with access to the data that has been encrypted using such an encryptor may be able to derive the unencrypted values using a dictionary attack.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.security:spring-security-core | ≥ 5.3.0&&< 5.3.2 | 5.3.2org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:5.3.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.security:spring-security-core | ≥ 5.2.0&&< 5.2.4 | 5.2.4org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:5.2.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.security:spring-security-core | ≥ 5.1.0&&< 5.1.10 | 5.1.10org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:5.1.10 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.security:spring-security-core | ≥ 5.0.0&&< 5.0.16 | 5.0.16org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:5.0.16 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.security:spring-security-core | all versions | 4.2.16org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:4.2.16 |
Affected Products
spring securitypivotal_softwarespring securityvmwareDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.springframework.security:spring-security-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.springframework.security:spring-security-core to 5.3.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2020-5408 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2020-5408 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.