Spring Cloud Config has an Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.5 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2026-40981: 0.43% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 37.87 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

When using Google Secrets Manager as a backend for the Spring Cloud Config server a client can craft a request to the config server potentially exposing secrets from unintended GCP projects. Spring Cloud Config 3.1.x: affected from 3.1.0 through 3.1.13 (inclusive); upgrade to 3.1.14 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.1.x: affected from 4.1.0 through 4.1.9 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.1.10 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.2.x: affected from 4.2.0 through 4.2.6 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.2.7 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.3.x: affected from 4.3.0 through 4.3.2 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.3.3 or greater. Spring Cloud Config 5.0.x: affected from 5.0.0 through 5.0.2 (inclusive); upgrade to 5.0.3 or greater.

Published by the source

7 May 2026, 06:31 UTC

Last modified by the source

11 Jun 2026, 14:48 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:46 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-2mh5-3cw6-hrrq

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-40981

Advisory: Spring Cloud Config has an Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
IDs: CVE-2026-40981, GHSA-2mh5-3cw6-hrrq
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-40981 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:46 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Partial vendor fix; fixed versions by package: org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-config-server 5.0.3, 4.3.3. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-config-server: affected >= 3.1.0, <= 3.1.13; >= 4.1.0, <= 4.1.9; >= 4.2.0, <= 4.2.6; >= 4.3.0, <= 4.3.2; >= 5.0.0, <= 5.0.2; fixed in 4.3.3, 5.0.3

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-config-server: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-config-server.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-2mh5-3cw6-hrrq (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-2mh5-3cw6-hrrq lists affected ranges: Maven org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-config-server >=3.1.0 =4.1.0 =4.2.0 =4.3.0 =5.0.0 <=5.0.2)

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