# What is CVE-2023-25194? > CVE-2023-25194 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.8) in Kafka Connect from Apache, published on 7 February 2023. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 96%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2023-25194 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Fix this soon. Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 76 out of 100 (High); action: Patch now. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** High (CVSS 8.8 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 96% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 7 February 2023 - **Record last updated:** 25 March 2025 - **Main product:** Kafka Connect from Apache - **Affected products:** 1 ## What is CVE-2023-25194? In plain terms It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### The official 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 kind of flaw is it? - CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions - Login needed first: An ordinary user account - Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything - What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` ## Is CVE-2023-25194 being exploited? Not that we know of It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 96%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 96%, 96%, 96%, 96%, 96%, 96%, 96%. ### Timeline - 7 February 2023: Published - 25 March 2025: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2023-25194 scores **76 out of 100 (High)**, with the action "Patch now". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: smaller factor - Threat activity around it: smaller factor 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2023-25194? The published record lists 1 product. - [Kafka Connect](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/apache/kafka_connect) by [Apache](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/apache) (Application): 2.3.0 to 3.3.2 ## How do I fix CVE-2023-25194? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list. 2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood. ### References - [kafka.apache.org](https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list) (Mitigation, Vendor advisory) - [lists.apache.org](https://lists.apache.org/thread/vy1c7fqcdqvq5grcqp6q5jyyb302khyz) (Mailing list, Mitigation) - [packetstormsecurity.com](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173151/Apache-Druid-JNDI-Injection-Remote-Code-Execution.html) (Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2023-25194? CVE-2023-25194 is a high-severity flaw in Kafka Connect from Apache, published on 7 February 2023. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### How serious is CVE-2023-25194? It scores 8.8 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2023-25194 is 76 out of 100, which is High. Its action is "Patch now". Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month. ### Is CVE-2023-25194 being exploited? It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 96%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2023-25194 affect? For Kafka Connect from Apache: 2.3.0 to 3.3.2. ### How do I fix CVE-2023-25194? Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. ## Does CVE-2023-25194 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact