CVE-2014-0097 Improper Authentication in Spring Security
Attackers can bypass authentication with empty passwords if the LDAP directory allows anonymous binds, affecting Spring Security users.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2014-0097?
CVE-2014-0097 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Pivotal Spring Security, published on 25 May 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The ActiveDirectoryLdapAuthenticator in Spring Security 3.2.0 to 3.2.1 and 3.1.0 to 3.1.5 does not check the password length. If the directory allows anonymous binds then it may incorrectly authenticate a user who supplies an empty password.
Weakness: CWE-287
Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-0097?
4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.springframework.security:spring-security-core. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core Maven | From 3.1.0 | 3.1.5.RELEASE |
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core Maven | From 3.1.0 | 3.1.5.RELEASE |
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.2.RELEASE |
org.springframework.security:spring-security-core Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.2.RELEASE |
Products include Vmware Spring Security.
How do I fix CVE-2014-0097?
Upgrade org.springframework.security:spring-security-core to a fixed version for your release line: 3.1.5.RELEASE or 3.2.2.RELEASE.
Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.
Is CVE-2014-0097 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-0097 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Pivotal Spring Security
- CVE-2014-3527 Authorization Bypass in Spring Security
- CVE-2026-59354 Spring Security OAuth2 Authorization Server: Insufficient validation of Dynamic Client Registration metadata
- CVE-2026-59270 Spring Security embedded UnboundID LDAP server exposes well-known administrative bind DN on all network interfaces
- CVE-2026-22732 Under Some Conditions Spring Security HTTP Headers Are not Written
- CVE-2023-34034 Access Control Bypass in Spring Security
Sources
Also known as GHSA-gv9v-c375-hvmg.