CVE-2023-34040: Spring Framework Spring-Kafka Has Java Deserialization Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-crqf-q9fp-hwjw
CVSS 7.8
CWE-502
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-34040 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) spring-kafka has java deserialization vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data) affecting Spring Framework libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves spring-kafka has java deserialization vulnerability when improperly configured. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.9.11, 3.0.10.

CVE-2023-34040 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-34040
GHSA Identifier GHSA-crqf-q9fp-hwjw
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Affected Product Spring Framework
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2023-34040

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Spring Framework dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: 2.9.11
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>2.9.11</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: 3.0.10
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.10</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.kafka

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-34040, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.kafka

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Spring Framework in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.9.11), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.kafka command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data, where the product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid. In Spring Framework, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

In Spring for Apache Kafka 3.0.9 and earlier and versions 2.9.10 and earlier, a possible deserialization attack vector existed, but only if unusual configuration was applied. An attacker would have to construct a malicious serialized object in one of the deserialization exception record headers. Specifically, an application is vulnerable when all of the following are true: * The user does not configure an ErrorHandlingDeserializer for the key and/or value of the record * The user explicitly sets container properties checkDeserExWhenKeyNull and/or checkDeserExWhenValueNull container properties to true. * The user allows untrusted sources to publish to a Kafka topic By default, these properties are false, and the container only attempts to deserialize the headers if an ErrorHandlingDeserializer is configured. The ErrorHandlingDeserializer prevents the vulnerability by removing any such malicious headers before processing the record.

CVE-2023-34040 Affected Spring Framework Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.9.113.0.10
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 2.8.1
< 2.9.11
2.9.11
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 3.0.0
< 3.0.10
3.0.10

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-34040?
CVE-2023-34040 is a security vulnerability in Spring Framework involving Spring-Kafka has Java Deserialization vulnerability When Improperly Configured under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data.
Which Spring Framework versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.9.11, 3.0.10 across affected packages: org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka.
What version fixes CVE-2023-34040?
Upgrading to 2.9.11, 3.0.10 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is spring-kafka affected?
Yes, org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka is affected in releases prior to 2.9.11, 3.0.10. Upgrade your dependency to 2.9.11, 3.0.10 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-34040?
CVE-2023-34040 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-34040?
CVE-2023-34040 is classified under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data (The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2023-34040?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.kafka'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-crqf-q9fp-hwjw",
  "modified" : "2024-11-05T17:40:34Z",
  "published" : "2023-08-24T15:31:10Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-34040" ],
  "summary" : "Spring-Kafka has Java Deserialization vulnerability When Improperly Configured",
  "details" : "In Spring for Apache Kafka 3.0.9 and earlier and versions 2.9.10 and earlier, a possible deserialization attack vector existed, but only if unusual configuration was applied. An attacker would have to construct a malicious serialized object in one of the deserialization exception record headers.\n\nSpecifically, an application is vulnerable when all of the following are true:\n\n  *  The user does not configure an ErrorHandlingDeserializer for the key and/or value of the record\n  *  The user explicitly sets container properties checkDeserExWhenKeyNull and/or checkDeserExWhenValueNull container properties to true.\n  *  The user allows untrusted sources to publish to a Kafka topic\n\n\nBy default, these properties are false, and the container only attempts to deserialize the headers if an ErrorHandlingDeserializer is configured. The ErrorHandlingDeserializer prevents the vulnerability by removing any such malicious headers before processing the record.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.8.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.9.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.0.10"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-34040"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/commit/25ac793a78725e2ca4a3a2888a1506a4bfcf0c9d"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/commit/eb779679812f61a8553ced3d0e4069dca65560ed"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://spring.io/security/cve-2023-34040"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-502" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-08-24T22:28:48Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-08-24T13:15:07Z"
  }
}