Spring Security's recent updates address a critical access control vulnerability, CVE-2023-34034, which affects Spring WebFlux applications by potentially allowing unauthorized access to restricted areas. The vulnerability, which has a CVSS score of 9.8, was triggered by a missing leading slash in URL path patterns used for access control, allowing unintended access to endpoints such as admin pages. The JFrog Security Research team analyzed the vulnerability, highlighting how its exploitation can bypass authentication controls if URL paths don't start with a forward slash, particularly when using wildcard characters. To mitigate this issue, users are advised to update to secure versions of Spring Security or adjust URL path patterns in their configurations. JFrog's advanced security tools, like Xray, help detect such vulnerabilities in the codebase, ensuring that only applicable vulnerabilities are remediated efficiently. This proactive approach saves developers time and effort, while the JFrog Security Research team continues to enhance the security framework and provide valuable insights through their ongoing research and publications.