GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222
MEDIUMGHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Spring REST Docs REST Assured & WebFlux are vulnerable to Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222.
Real-World Exposure
org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient☕org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient☕org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient☕org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassured☕org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassured☕org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassuredReal-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
When using spring-restdocs-webtestclient or spring-restdocs-restassured to document a remote API accessed over HTTP, an attacker who compromises the API or tricks the user into documenting a malicious API can perform an XXE injection attack when the documentation-generating tests are next executed.
Affected versions: Spring REST Docs 4.0.0; 3.0.0 through 3.0.5; 2.0.0.RELEASE through 2.0.8.RELEASE.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient | ≥ 4.0.0&&< 4.0.1 | 4.0.1 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.0.6 | 3.0.6 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient | all versions | No fix |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassured | ≥ 4.0.0&&< 4.0.1 | 4.0.1 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassured | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.0.6 | 3.0.6 |
| ☕Maven | org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-restassured | all versions | No fix |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.springframework.restdocs:spring-restdocs-webtestclient to 4.0.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 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 pinpoints whether GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-6rpq-6vv2-5222 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.