# CVE-2009-1190: Spring Framework Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

> Remote attackers can cause denial of service via CPU exhaustion by sending crafted regex strings to applications using vulnerable Java regex libraries.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Apr 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wjjr-h4wh-w6vv

## What is CVE-2009-1190?

CVE-2009-1190 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 27 Apr 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Algorithmic complexity vulnerability in the java.util.regex.Pattern.compile method in Sun Java Development Kit (JDK) before 1.6, when used with spring.jar in SpringSource Spring Framework 1.1.0 through 2.5.6 and 3.0.0.M1 through 3.0.0.M2 and dm Server 1.0.0 through 1.0.2, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via serializable data with a long regex string containing multiple optional groups, a related issue to CVE-2004-2540.

Weakness: CWE-399

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-1190?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.springframework:spring-core. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.springframework:spring-core` | Maven | From 1.1.0 | 3.0.0.RELEASE |
| `org.springframework:spring-core` | Maven | From 1.1.0 | 3.0.0.RELEASE |

Products: Sun Jdk.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-1190?

Upgrade org.springframework:spring-core to 3.0.0.RELEASE or later.

## Is CVE-2009-1190 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-1190 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Sun Jdk

- [CVE-2011-3521](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3521/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3548](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3548/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3549](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3549/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3554](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3554/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-0802](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-0802/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-1190 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-1190 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Sun Jdk, published on 27 Apr 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-1190 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.springframework:spring-core (Maven): affected from 1.1.0; fixed in 3.0.0.RELEASE
- org.springframework:spring-core (Maven): affected from 1.1.0; fixed in 3.0.0.RELEASE

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1190/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1190/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-1190
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-1190
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-1190

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1190/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.