CVE-2023-34035

Spring Security versions 5.8 prior to 5.8.5, 6.0 prior to 6.0.5, and 6.1 prior to 6.1.2 could be susceptible to authorization rule misconfiguration if the application uses requestMatchers(String) and multiple servlets, one of them being Spring MVC’s DispatcherServlet. (DispatcherServlet is a Spring MVC component that maps HTTP endpoints to methods on @Controller-annotated classes.)

Specifically, an application is vulnerable when all of the following are true:

• Spring MVC is on the classpath
• Spring Security is securing more than one servlet in a single application (one of them being Spring MVC’s DispatcherServlet)
• The application uses requestMatchers(String) to refer to endpoints that are not Spring MVC endpoints

An application is not vulnerable if any of the following is true:

• The application does not have Spring MVC on the classpath
• The application secures no servlets other than Spring MVC’s DispatcherServlet
• The application uses requestMatchers(String) only for Spring MVC endpoints

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2023-34035 has a CVSS score of 7.3 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (5.8.5, 6.0.5, 6.1.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2023-34035? CVE-2023-34035 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in org.springframework.security:spring-security-config (maven), affecting versions >= 5.8.0, < 5.8.5. It is fixed in 5.8.5, 6.0.5, 6.1.2. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-34035? CVE-2023-34035 has a CVSS score of 7.3 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of org.springframework.security:spring-security-config are affected by CVE-2023-34035? org.springframework.security:spring-security-config (maven) versions >= 5.8.0, < 5.8.5 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-34035? Yes. CVE-2023-34035 is fixed in 5.8.5, 6.0.5, 6.1.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-34035 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-34035 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-34035 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-34035?
   • Upgrade org.springframework.security:spring-security-config to 5.8.5 or later
   • Upgrade org.springframework.security:spring-security-config to 6.0.5 or later
   • Upgrade org.springframework.security:spring-security-config to 6.1.2 or later