Apache Kafka 3.4+ RCE via SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule
CVE-2025-27819 Published on June 10, 2025

Apache Kafka: Possible RCE/Denial of service attack via SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule configuration
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

Vendor Advisory NVD

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-27819 can be exploited with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have no impact on confidentiality and integrity, and a high impact on availability.

Attack Vector:
NETWORK
Attack Complexity:
LOW
Privileges Required:
NONE
User Interaction:
NONE
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
NONE
Integrity Impact:
NONE
Availability Impact:
HIGH

Weakness Type

What is a Marshaling, Unmarshaling Vulnerability?

The application deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently verifying that the resulting data will be valid.

CVE-2025-27819 has been classified to as a Marshaling, Unmarshaling vulnerability or weakness.


Products Associated with CVE-2025-27819

You can be notified by email with stack.watch whenever vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-27819 are published in these products:

Apache Kafka
 
Oracle
 
Red Hat Kafka
 

Affected Versions

Apache Software Foundation Apache Kafka:

Exploit Probability

EPSS
0.80%
Percentile
73.73%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.