CVE-2026-40981: High severity VMware Spring Cloud Config vulnerability

Published May 7, 2026
·
Updated

When using Google Secrets Manager as a backend for the Spring Cloud Config server a client can craft a request to the config server potentially exposing secrets from unintended GCP projects. Spring Cloud Config 3.1.x: affected from 3.1.0 through 3.1.13 (inclusive); upgrade to 3.1.14 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.1.x: affected from 4.1.0 through 4.1.9 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.1.10 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.2.x: affected from 4.2.0 through 4.2.6 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.2.7 or greater (Enterprise Support Only). Spring Cloud Config 4.3.x: affected from 4.3.0 through 4.3.2 (inclusive); upgrade to 4.3.3 or greater. Spring Cloud Config 5.0.x: affected from 5.0.0 through 5.0.2 (inclusive); upgrade to 5.0.3 or greater.

Affected Software

6 affected components
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=3.1.0<=3.1.13, >=4.1.0<=4.1.9, >=4.2.0<=4.2.6, >=4.3.0<=4.3.2, >=5.0.0<=5.0.2
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=3.1.0<3.1.14
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=4.1.0<4.1.10
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=4.2.0<4.2.7
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=4.3.0<4.3.3
VMware Spring Cloud Config>=5.0.0<5.0.3

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade Spring Cloud Config to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.1.14
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade Spring Cloud Config to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.1.10
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade Spring Cloud Config to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.2.7
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade Spring Cloud Config to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.3.3
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade Spring Cloud Config to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.3

Event History

May 7, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:55 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:55 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·05:01 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-40981?

CVE-2026-40981 has been classified as a high severity vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-40981?

To fix CVE-2026-40981, upgrade Spring Cloud Config to version 3.1.14 or greater.

3

Which versions of Spring Cloud Config are affected by CVE-2026-40981?

CVE-2026-40981 affects Spring Cloud Config versions 3.1.0 through 3.1.13 and various versions of 4.x and 5.x.

4

What are the potential consequences of CVE-2026-40981?

CVE-2026-40981 may allow unauthorized access to secrets stored in unintended GCP projects.

5

Is CVE-2026-40981 specific to Google Secrets Manager?

Yes, CVE-2026-40981 specifically affects the use of Google Secrets Manager as a backend for the Spring Cloud Config server.

Company

Resources

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