# CVE-2014-3527: Authorization Bypass in Spring Security

> A malicious CAS service can bypass access control restrictions in Spring Security when using proxy ticket authentication, allowing unauthorized authentication.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 May 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wmv4-5w76-vp9g

## What is CVE-2014-3527?

CVE-2014-3527 is a critical 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

When using the CAS Proxy ticket authentication from Spring Security 3.1 to 3.2.4 a malicious CAS Service could trick another CAS Service into authenticating a proxy ticket that was not associated. This is due to the fact that the proxy ticket authentication uses the information from the HttpServletRequest which is populated based upon untrusted information within the HTTP request. This means if there are access control restrictions on which CAS services can authenticate to one another, those restrictions can be bypassed. If users are not using CAS Proxy tickets and not basing access control decisions based upon the CAS Service, then there is no impact to users.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-3527?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.springframework.security:spring-security-core` | Maven | All versions | 3.1.7 |
| `org.springframework.security:spring-security-core` | Maven | All versions | 3.1.7 |
| `org.springframework.security:spring-security-core` | Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.5 |
| `org.springframework.security:spring-security-core` | Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.5 |

Products: Vmware Spring Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-3527?

Upgrade org.springframework.security:spring-security-core to a fixed version for your release line: 3.1.7 or 3.2.5.

## Is CVE-2014-3527 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3527 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Pivotal Spring Security

- [CVE-2026-59354](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59354/): Spring Security OAuth2 Authorization Server: Insufficient validation of Dynamic Client Registration metadata (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2026-59270](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59270/): Spring Security embedded UnboundID LDAP server exposes well-known administrative bind DN on all network interfaces (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-22732](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22732/): Under Some Conditions Spring Security HTTP Headers Are not Written (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-34034](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34034/): Access Control Bypass in Spring Security (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-47877](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47877/): Spring Security Authorization Server Default Consent Page is vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-3527 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-3527 is a critical 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3527 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 3.1.7
- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 3.1.7
- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core (Maven): affected from 3.2.0; fixed in 3.2.5
- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core (Maven): affected from 3.2.0; fixed in 3.2.5

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-2014-3527/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3527/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3527
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3527
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-3527

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3527/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.