CVE-2026-22738: Spring AI SimpleVectorStore SpEL Injection Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2026-22738: Spring AI: SpEL injection is triggered when a user-supplied value is used as a filter expression key. Affects org.springframework.ai:spring-ai-vector-store across 2 version ranges.
>= 1.0.0, < 1.0.5
>= 1.1.0-M1, < 1.1.4
Fixed in 1.0.5 or 1.1.4, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
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Background
Spring AI is a framework that integrates artificial intelligence capabilities into Spring applications, enabling developers to build AI-driven features easily. The SimpleVectorStore component is designed to manage vector representations of data, allowing for efficient storage and retrieval. However, it has a critical vulnerability that arises when user-supplied values are used as filter expression keys, potentially leading to severe security risks.
Vulnerability Detail
In Spring AI, a SpEL (Spring Expression Language) injection vulnerability exists in the SimpleVectorStore component. This vulnerability is triggered when a user-supplied value is used as a filter expression key. A malicious actor could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code within the application, leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or complete system compromise. The affected versions are from 1.0.0 before 1.0.5 and from 1.1.0 before 1.1.4.
How To Fix
Fixed versions by release line
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
>= 1.0.0, < 1.0.51.0.5 -
>= 1.1.0-M1, < 1.1.41.1.4
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Workaround
If immediate patching is not feasible, consider sanitizing user input to prevent untrusted data from being used as filter expression keys. Implement strict validation and escaping mechanisms to ensure that only safe values are processed.
Conclusion
The SpEL injection vulnerability in Spring AI's SimpleVectorStore component poses a significant risk to applications using affected versions. It is crucial to update to the patched versions or implement workarounds to mitigate potential exploitation.
See every vulnerability recorded for org.springframework.ai:spring-ai-vector-store →
FAQ
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 9.8, indicating a critical severity level.
The affected versions are from 1.0.0 before 1.0.5 and from 1.1.0 before 1.1.4.
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Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, leading to unauthorized access, data breaches, or complete system compromise.
SpEL (Spring Expression Language) is a powerful expression language for querying and manipulating objects at runtime in Spring applications. This vulnerability arises when user input is improperly handled as a SpEL expression.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for org.springframework.ai:spring-ai-vector-store.
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