Use @PreAuthorize("#oauth2.hasScope('internal')") with SpringSecurity 5.4.5

Question

I'm still learning and try to understand security topics used in Spring.

I'm working on microservices applicatin where at the startup every service is connecting to OAuth service and get his bearer token . Every service has got claim "scope": ["internal"] .
While services are talking to each others, every endpoint is protected with @PreAuthorize annotation.

What is important- currently I move all project from SpringBoot ver.1.5.9 to the 2.4.4 and because of that I spent a lot of time to manage migrate all dependencies required to work with that one boot version. At this point I use Spring Security 5.4.5.

When some service is calling another one, an error appeared:
Caused by: org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelEvaluationException: EL1011E: Method call: Attempted to call method hasScope(java.lang.String) on null context object

What I uderstand is that I haven't got OAuth2SecurityExpressionMethods instance or it's created with null value.

The full stack tracke below:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Failed to evaluate expression '#oauth2.hasScope('internal')'
at org.springframework.security.access.expression.ExpressionUtils.evaluateAsBoolean(ExpressionUtils.java:33)
at org.springframework.security.access.expression.method.ExpressionBasedPreInvocationAdvice.before(ExpressionBasedPreInvocationAdvice.java:51)
at org.springframework.security.access.prepost.PreInvocationAuthorizationAdviceVoter.vote(PreInvocationAuthorizationAdviceVoter.java:71)
at org.springframework.security.access.prepost.PreInvocationAuthorizationAdviceVoter.vote(PreInvocationAuthorizationAdviceVoter.java:42)
at org.springframework.security.access.vote.AffirmativeBased.decide(AffirmativeBased.java:60)
at org.springframework.security.access.intercept.AbstractSecurityInterceptor.attemptAuthorization(AbstractSecurityInterceptor.java:238)
at org.springframework.security.access.intercept.AbstractSecurityInterceptor.beforeInvocation(AbstractSecurityInterceptor.java:208)
at org.springframework.security.access.intercept.aopalliance.MethodSecurityInterceptor.invoke(MethodSecurityInterceptor.java:58)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:186)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$CglibMethodInvocation.proceed(CglibAopProxy.java:750)
at org.springframework.aop.interceptor.ExposeInvocationInterceptor.invoke(ExposeInvocationInterceptor.java:97)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:186)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$CglibMethodInvocation.proceed(CglibAopProxy.java:750)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$DynamicAdvisedInterceptor.intercept(CglibAopProxy.java:692)
at pl.company.management.controller.v4.Internal_ControllerV4$$EnhancerBySpringCGLIB$$c7901e5a.getSomeObjectToLoad(<generated>)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.doInvoke(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:197)
at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:141)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:106)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:894)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:808)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:87)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1060)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:962)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:1006)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:898)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:626)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:883)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:733)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:227)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:53)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:327)
at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:115)
at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:81)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:119)
at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:126)
at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:81)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:105)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:149)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:63)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.oauth2.provider.authentication.OAuth2AuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(OAuth2AuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:182)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:103)
at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:89)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doHeadersAfter(HeaderWriterFilter.java:90)
at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:75)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:110)
at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:80)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:55)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:336)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:211)
at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:183)
at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:358)
at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:271)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.instrument.web.servlet.TracingFilter.doFilter(TracingFilter.java:89)
at org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.autoconfig.instrument.web.LazyTracingFilter.doFilter(TraceWebServletConfiguration.java:114)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.springframework.boot.actuate.metrics.web.servlet.WebMvcMetricsFilter.doFilterInternal(WebMvcMetricsFilter.java:93)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:201)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at pl.company.common.configuration.SimpleCorsFilter.doFilter(SimpleCorsFilter.java:32)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:189)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:162)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:202)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:97)
at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:542)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:143)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:92)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:78)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:357)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:374)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:65)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:893)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1707)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)
Caused by: org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelEvaluationException: EL1011E: Method call: Attempted to call method hasScope(java.lang.String) on null context object
at org.springframework.expression.spel.ast.MethodReference.throwIfNotNullSafe(MethodReference.java:154)
at org.springframework.expression.spel.ast.MethodReference.getValueRef(MethodReference.java:83)
at org.springframework.expression.spel.ast.CompoundExpression.getValueRef(CompoundExpression.java:70)
at org.springframework.expression.spel.ast.CompoundExpression.getValueInternal(CompoundExpression.java:91)
at org.springframework.expression.spel.ast.SpelNodeImpl.getTypedValue(SpelNodeImpl.java:117)
at org.springframework.expression.spel.standard.SpelExpression.getValue(SpelExpression.java:308)
at org.springframework.security.access.expression.ExpressionUtils.evaluateAsBoolean(ExpressionUtils.java:30)
... 104 common frames omitted

In the beginning I thought that maybe I don't have oauth2.hasScope library with that method, but there is in dependencies, however whole class is annotated as a @Deprecated .

1. Could that make that problem?
2. How can I configure or set Spring to use OAuth2SecurityExpressionMethods class?
   
3. Can I use OAuth and whole that process like with previous Spring version?

Answer 1

Per the OAuth 2.0 Migration Guide :

Spring Security converts scopes that follow the granted authority naming convention. To authorize requests or methods based on scope, you write an expression like hasAuthority("SCOPE_scope") .