Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This issue affects Spring Security applications that use plaintext password handling. If an account has no stored encoded password, the system may accept the literal password "null". That can turn a data-quality or configuration problem into unauthorized login risk.
Executive priority
Prioritize systems where Spring Security protects internet-facing or business-critical authentication. The risk is conditional but authentication bypass can be material if the affected encoder and null password records exist.
Technical view
CVE-2019-11272 is CWE-287 improper authentication in Spring Security 4.2.x through 4.2.12 and older unsupported versions using PlaintextPasswordEncoder. The vulnerable condition requires PlaintextPasswordEncoder and a user record with a null encoded password.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to applications on affected Spring Security versions that still use PlaintextPasswordEncoder and have user records with null encoded password values. Systems using other encoders or without null password records are not shown as affected by the provided sources.
Exploitation context
The source bundle says a malicious user or attacker can authenticate with the password "null" under the affected conditions. KEV is false, and the provided sources do not claim active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
The core research question is whether PlaintextPasswordEncoder is reachable in production and whether null encoded password records exist. Severity data is incomplete in the bundle, so avoid broad impact claims beyond the documented authentication condition.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade to a vendor-supported Spring Security release following vendor guidance.
- Apply the Debian libspring-security security update if using Debian packaging.
- Remove PlaintextPasswordEncoder from application authentication configuration.
- Correct or disable accounts with null encoded password values.
- Monitor vendor advisories for exact fixed-version guidance.
Validation and detection
- Inventory applications using Spring Security 4.2.x or older unsupported versions.
- Search configuration and code for PlaintextPasswordEncoder usage.
- Audit identity stores for null encoded password fields.
- Review authentication logs for anomalous successful logins around affected accounts.
- Confirm deployed package versions include relevant vendor or Debian security updates.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-287: Credential and account abuse lookup
Authentication and credential weaknesses can make valid-account abuse and credential telemetry useful review starting points. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-11272 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://pivotal.io/security/cve-2019-11272CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- [debian-lts-announce] 20190709 [SECURITY] [DLA 1848-1] libspring-security-2.0-java security updateCVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Authentication
Improper Authentication represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.