# CVE-2026-59281: Spring Framework Cross-site Scripting via EscapedErrors

> Attackers can inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript via field errors in Spring MVC/WebFlux apps when HTML escaping is enabled but specific accessors are used.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 28 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2026-HB81544, CLEANSTART-2026-IL27901, CLEANSTART-2026-RS34156, CLEANSTART-2026-SC51338, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-59281, GHSA-549f-4rpc-3rw9, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-59281

## What is CVE-2026-59281?

CVE-2026-59281 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Vmware Spring Framework, published on 27 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Spring MVC and WebFlux applications that obtain a data-binding Errors instance with HTML escaping enabled and then render field errors using the no-argument Errors.getFieldErrors() or Errors.getFieldError() accessors are vulnerable to arbitrary HTML/JavaScript code injection, potentially resulting in a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability.
Spring Framework 7.0.0 - 7.0.8
Spring Framework 6.2.0 - 6.2.19
Spring Framework 6.1.0 - 6.1.28
Spring Framework 6.0.0 - 6.0.30
Spring Framework 5.3.0 - 5.3.49
Spring Framework 5.2.25.RELEASE and earlier

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-59281?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Spring Framework.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-59281?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-59281 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-59281 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Spring Framework

- [CVE-2026-47884](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47884/): Spring Framework Improper Path Limitation in XsltView (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-47890](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47890/): Spring Framework Server Sent Event stream corruption while rendering fragments (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-47891](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47891/): Spring Framework maxInMemorySize Bypassed in Jaxb2Decoder (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-47892](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47892/): Spring Framework Header Predicate Bypass in WebFlux Functional Endpoints (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-59313](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59313/): Server Sent Event stream corruption in Spring MVC functional web framework (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-59281 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-59281 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Vmware Spring Framework, published on 27 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-59281 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Spring Framework. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-59281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59281/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-59281
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-59281
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-59281

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59281/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.