CVE-2025-22234: Spring Framework Spring Security Has A Broken Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-vqxh-445g-37fc
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CVSS 5.3
CWE-208
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-22234 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) spring security has a broken vulnerability (CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy) affecting Spring Framework libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves spring security has a broken timing attack mitigation implemented in daoauthenticationprovide. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 6.3.9, 6.4.5.

CVE-2025-22234 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-22234
GHSA Identifier GHSA-vqxh-445g-37fc
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy
Affected Product Spring Framework
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2025-22234

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Spring Framework dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.springframework.security:spring-security-core fixed: 6.3.9 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-security-core</artifactId>
    <version>6.3.9</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core fixed: 6.4.5 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-security-core</artifactId>
    <version>6.4.5</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.security

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-22234, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.security

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Spring Framework in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 6.3.9), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.security command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy, where two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not. In Spring Framework, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The fix applied in CVE-2025-22228 inadvertently broke the timing attack mitigation implemented in DaoAuthenticationProvider. This can allow attackers to infer valid usernames or other authentication behavior via response-time differences under certain configurations.

CVE-2025-22234 Affected Spring Framework Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
6.3.96.4.5
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core
maven/org.springframework.security/spring-security-core
Maven
≥ 6.3.8
< 6.3.9
All 1 versions
6.3.8
6.3.9
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core
maven/org.springframework.security/spring-security-core
Maven
≥ 6.4.4
< 6.4.5
All 1 versions
6.4.4
6.4.5

References

NVD — CVE-2025-22234 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-22234
Spring Framework Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-security
Spring Framework Security Information SECURITY
https://spring.io/security/cve-2025-22234

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-22234?
CVE-2025-22234 is a security vulnerability in Spring Framework involving Spring Security has a broken timing attack mitigation implemented in DaoAuthenticationProvide under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy.
Which Spring Framework versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 6.3.9, 6.4.5 across affected packages: org.springframework.security:spring-security-core.
What version fixes CVE-2025-22234?
Upgrading to 6.3.9, 6.4.5 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is spring-security-core affected?
Yes, org.springframework.security:spring-security-core is affected in releases prior to 6.3.9, 6.4.5. Upgrade your dependency to 6.3.9, 6.4.5 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-22234?
CVE-2025-22234 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-22234?
CVE-2025-22234 is classified under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy (Two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-22234?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.security'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-vqxh-445g-37fc",
  "modified" : "2026-01-22T22:33:22Z",
  "published" : "2026-01-22T21:33:47Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-22234" ],
  "summary" : "Spring Security has a broken timing attack mitigation implemented in DaoAuthenticationProvide",
  "details" : "The fix applied in CVE-2025-22228 inadvertently broke the timing attack mitigation implemented in DaoAuthenticationProvider. This can allow attackers to infer valid usernames or other authentication behavior via response-time differences under certain configurations.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.security:spring-security-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "6.3.8"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "6.3.9"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "6.3.8" ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.security:spring-security-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "6.4.4"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "6.4.5"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "6.4.4" ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-22234"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-security"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://spring.io/security/cve-2025-22234"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-208" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-01-22T22:33:22Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-01-22T21:15:49Z"
  }
}