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Spring Data REST is vulnerable to SpEL expression injection through map-typed properties when processing JSON Patch requests

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jun 10, 2026 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Aug 12, 2026

Package

maven org.springframework.data:spring-data-rest-core (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 5.0.0, <= 5.0.5
>= 4.5.0, <= 4.5.11
>= 4.4.0, <= 4.4.14
>= 4.3.0, <= 4.3.16
<= 3.7.19

Patched versions

5.0.6
4.5.12

Description

Spring Data REST is vulnerable to SpEL expression injection through map-typed properties when processing JSON Patch (application/json-patch+json) requests. When a persistent entity exposes a Map-typed property, the JSON Pointer path segment used as the map key is embedded directly into a SpEL expression without sanitization or validation.

Affected versions:
Spring Data REST 3.7.0 through 3.7.19; 4.3.0 through 4.3.16; 4.4.0 through 4.4.14; 4.5.0 through 4.5.11; 5.0.0 through 5.0.5.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jun 10, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jun 10, 2026
Reviewed Aug 12, 2026
Last updated Aug 12, 2026

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(32nd percentile)

Weaknesses

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an Expression Language Statement ('Expression Language Injection')

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. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-41729

GHSA ID

GHSA-j388-8rm5-p97f

Source code

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