Understanding the Spring Framework

Evolution, Risks, and Audit Considerations**

  • History & Evolution
    • Released in 2003 by Rod Johnson as a lightweight alternative to Java EE. (Wikipedia - link)
    • Evolved into a full ecosystem, including Spring Boot (2014) for simplified deployment, Spring Security, and Spring Cloud for microservices.
    • Originally developed by Interface21, later acquired by SpringSource, then VMware.
    • Widely used in enterprise applications, cloud services, and microservices.

Audit Questions to Ask

  • What versions of Spring and Spring Boot are in use?
  • Are legacy Spring applications still maintained and patched?
  • Is the team using official support channels, or relying on outdated third-party dependencies?

Key Risks for In-House Development

  • Dependency risks – Third-party libraries (e.g., Log4j) can introduce vulnerabilities.
  • Security misconfigurations – Weak Spring Security settings may expose authentication flaws.
  • Excessive complexity – Over-engineered architectures can hinder maintainability.
  • Inconsistent coding practices – Lack of standardisation can create operational risks.

Questions to Ask

  • How does the team track and update dependencies?
  • Are security configurations reviewed regularly?
  • Are developers following a consistent architecture and coding standard?

Audit & Governance Best Practices

  • Use Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools to monitor third-party dependencies.
  • Implement secure CI/CD pipelines to enforce security checks before deployment, and maintain audit trail / ability to roll-back.
  • Ensure strong access controls – Proper OAuth2 configurations, API gateways, and authentication reviews.
  • Monitor Spring security advisories and enforce timely patching.

Questions to Ask

  • Does the organization use tools like Snyk or OWASP Dependency-Check for vulnerability scanning?
  • Are secure coding practices enforced in CI/CD pipelines?
  • How often are Spring applications tested for security weaknesses?