CRITICAL CVSS 9.0
Published: 2026-04-17

CVE-2026-40478

thymeleaf thymeleaf Security Advisory (CVE-2026-40478)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-40478 impacting thymeleaf thymeleaf. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.0 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Thymeleaf is a server-side Java template engine for web and standalone environments. Versions 3.1.3.RELEASE and prior contain a security bypass vulnerability in the the expression execution mechanisms. Although the library provides mechanisms to prevent expression injection, it fails to properly neutralize specific syntax patterns that allow for the execution of unauthorized expressions. If an application developer passes unvalidated user input directly to the template engine, an unauthenticated remote attacker can bypass the library's protections to achieve Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI). This issue has ben fixed in version 3.1.4.RELEASE.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
High (AC:H)
Depends on race conditions or environment
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product thymeleaf / thymeleaf
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-917

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2026-40478 impacting thymeleaf thymeleaf.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-40478.yaml
id: cve-2026-40478

info:
  name: thymeleaf thymeleaf - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-40478 affecting thymeleaf thymeleaf.
    Evaluation: Thymeleaf is a server-side Java template engine for web and standalone environments. Versions 3.1.3.RELEASE and prior contain a security bypass vulner...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-40478
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.0
    cve-id: CVE-2026-40478
    cwe-id: CWE-917
  tags: cve,cve-2026-40478,thymeleaf,thymeleaf,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "thymeleaf"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-40478.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-40478
# Target: thymeleaf thymeleaf | CVSS: 9.0 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-40478 (thymeleaf thymeleaf)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against thymeleaf thymeleaf scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2026-40478.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-40478
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install thymeleaf 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade thymeleaf 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update thymeleaf

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i thymeleaf 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i thymeleaf

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-40478 in thymeleaf thymeleaf?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update thymeleaf thymeleaf packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2026-40478?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2026-40478?

CVE-2026-40478 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.0 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.0
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-40478
Weakness CWE-917
Vendor thymeleaf
Product thymeleaf
Published 2026-04-17
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H