diff --git a/dspace-oai/pom.xml b/dspace-oai/pom.xml
index 51bb52914e..f665a48b4f 100644
--- a/dspace-oai/pom.xml
+++ b/dspace-oai/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
     <properties>
         <!-- This is the path to the root [dspace-src] directory. -->
         <root.basedir>${basedir}/..</root.basedir>
-        <spring.version>3.2.5.RELEASE</spring.version>
+        <spring.version>5.2.20.RELEASE</spring.version>
         <xoai.version>3.2.10</xoai.version>
         <jtwig.version>2.0.1</jtwig.version>
     </properties>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a75d78f991..15d144d72b 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
             Upgrading the spring version will make the XMLUI crash
         -->
         <hibernate.version>4.2.21.Final</hibernate.version>
-        <spring.version>3.2.16.RELEASE</spring.version>
+        <spring.version>5.2.20.RELEASE</spring.version>
         <!-- 'root.basedir' is the path to the root [dspace-src] dir. It must be redefined by each child POM,
              as it is used to reference the LICENSE_HEADER and *.properties file(s) in that directory. -->
         <root.basedir>${basedir}</root.basedir>