--- title: "CVE-2023-25194: Apache Kafka Connect API: Possible… | CubePath" description: "A possible security vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka Connect API. This requires access to a Kafka Connect worker, and the ability…" language: en source: https://cubepath.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-25194 --- # CVE-2023-25194: Apache Kafka Connect API: Possible… | CubePath ## 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. Official description from the CVE record, published by apache. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CVE license. [View the record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-25194) ## Key data ### CVSS 3.1 High 8.8 Score published by CISA-ADP in the CVE record. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | Metric | Value | What it means | | ---------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Attack vector | Network | The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet. | | Attack complexity | Low | No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will. | | Privileges required | Low | A basic user account is needed. | | User interaction | None | No action from any user is needed. | | Scope | Unchanged | The impact stays within the vulnerable component. | | Confidentiality impact | High | Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data. | | Integrity impact | High | Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data. | | Availability impact | High | Serious or total effect on availability. | CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at [first.org/cvss](https://www.first.org/cvss/) . ### EPSS Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days. Score 0.95810 (95.8% probability) Percentile 99.9% Scores of Nov 10, 2026 Model v2026.06.15 ### CISA assessment as of Mar 25, 2025 Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA. Exploitation Public proof of concept recorded by CISA Automatable no Technical impact total ### Weakness (CWE) CWE catalog version 5.0. CWE names: Copyright © 2006-2026, The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CWE license. - [CWE-502](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/502.html) Deserialization of Untrusted Data ## Affected products Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them. - Apache Kafka Connect API - affected: 2.3.0 up to before 3.4.0 ## References Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control. - [kafka.apache.org/cve-list](https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list) release-notes - [lists.apache.org/thread/vy1c7fqcdqvq5grcqp6q5jyyb302khyz](https://lists.apache.org/thread/vy1c7fqcdqvq5grcqp6q5jyyb302khyz) vendor-advisory - [packetstormsecurity.com/files/173151/Apache-Druid-JNDI-Inje…](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173151/Apache-Druid-JNDI-Injection-Remote-Code-Execution.html) ## Timeline 1. ID reserved Feb 5, 2023 2. Record published Feb 7, 2023 3. Record last updated Mar 25, 2025 ## Look up another CVE ## About CubePath CubePath is a cloud provider with data centers in Europe and the United States. It offers VPS, bare metal servers and DDoS protection. [Cloud VPS](https://cubepath.com/vps) [DDoS protection](https://cubepath.com/ddos-protection) Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 20:05 UTC. [Sources and licenses](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal)