CVE-2025-41253: 
Java vulnerability analysis and mitigation

The Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux vulnerability (CVE-2025-41253) was disclosed on October 16, 2025. This vulnerability allows attackers to expose environment variables and system properties through Spring Expression Language (SpEL) in application routes. The flaw affects multiple versions of Spring Cloud Gateway, including versions 4.3.0-4.3.x, 4.2.0-4.2.x, 4.1.0-4.1.x, 4.0.0-4.0.x, and 3.1.0-3.1.x (ASEC Blog).

The vulnerability exists in Spring Cloud Gateway Server Webflux (Spring Cloud Gateway Server WebMVC is not affected) and is related to the misuse of Spring Expression Language (SpEL) within application routes. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating network accessibility with no privileges required (NVD). The vulnerability is classified as CWE-917 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an Expression Language Statement).

When successfully exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to read sensitive information including environment variables, system properties, authentication tokens, API keys, and database credentials from the application's runtime environment (Security Online).

Spring has released patched versions: 4.3.2 (OSS), 4.2.6 (OSS), 4.1.12 (Commercial), and 3.1.12 (Commercial). For users unable to upgrade immediately, a temporary mitigation involves removing 'gateway' from the management.endpoints.web.exposure.include property or securing the actuator endpoints (Security Online).