Apache Kafka up to 3.3.2 SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule deserialization

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Apache Kafka up to 3.3.2. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule Handler. The manipulation leads to Remote Privilege Escalation. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2025-27819. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Apache Kafka up to 3.3.2 and classified as critical. This issue affects an unknown functionality of the component SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a remote privilege escalation vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-502. The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently verifying that the resulting data will be valid. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In CVE-2023-25194, we announced the RCE/Denial of service attack via SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule configuration in Kafka Connect API. But not only Kafka Connect API is vulnerable to this attack, the Apache Kafka brokers also have this vulnerability. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs to be able to connect to the Kafka cluster and have the AlterConfigs permission on the cluster resource. Since Apache Kafka 3.4.0, we have added a system property ("-Dorg.apache.kafka.disallowed.login.modules") to disable the problematic login modules usage in SASL JAAS configuration. Also by default "com.sun.security.auth.module.JndiLoginModule" is disabled in Apache Kafka 3.4.0, and "com.sun.security.auth.module.JndiLoginModule,com.sun.security.auth.module.LdapLoginModule" is disabled by default in in Apache Kafka 3.9.1/4.0.0

It is possible to read the advisory at lists.apache.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-27819 since 03/07/2025. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 01/07/2026).

Upgrading to version 3.9.1 or 4.0.0 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at EUVD (EUVD-2025-17641) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1269). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• IBM Security Guardium
• IBM Maximo Asset Management
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• IBM Operational Decision Manager
• IBM Business Automation Workflow
• IBM InfoSphere Data Replication
• IBM InfoSphere Information Server
• Apache Kafka
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• IBM App Connect Enterprise
• IBM Integration Bus
• IBM Tivoli Network Manager

Productinfo

Vendor

• Apache

Name

• Kafka

Version

• 3.3.0
• 3.3.1
• 3.3.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.apache.org/

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