CVE-2025-27817: Kafka clients Apache Kafka Client Arbitrary File Vulnerability
MODERATECVE-2025-27817 is a MODERATE (CVSS 7.5) apache kafka client arbitrary file vulnerability (CWE-918: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)) affecting Kafka clients libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache kafka client arbitrary file read and server side request forgery vulnerability. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.9.1.
CVE-2025-27817 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 7.5
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
How to Fix CVE-2025-27817
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Kafka clients dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
<dependency>
<groupId>org.apache.kafka</groupId>
<artifactId>kafka-clients</artifactId>
<version>3.9.1</version>
</dependency>Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.kafkaHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-27817, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.kafkaAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Kafka clients in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.9.1), your application is affected.
Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.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-918: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), where the web server receives a url or similar request from an upstream component and retrieves the contents of this url, but it does not sufficiently ensure that the request is being sent to the expected destination. In Kafka clients, 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
CVE-2025-27817 Affected Kafka clients Versions
1 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients
|
Maven |
≥ 3.1.0
< 3.9.1
|
3.9.1
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-27817?
Which Kafka clients versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2025-27817?
Is kafka-clients affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-27817?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-27817?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-27817?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-vgq5-3255-v292",
"modified" : "2025-06-10T20:41:35Z",
"published" : "2025-06-10T09:30:31Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-27817" ],
"summary" : "Apache Kafka Client Arbitrary File Read and Server Side Request Forgery Vulnerability",
"details" : "A possible arbitrary file read and SSRF vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka Client. Apache Kafka Clients accept configuration data for setting the SASL/OAUTHBEARER connection with the brokers, including \"sasl.oauthbearer.token.endpoint.url\" and \"sasl.oauthbearer.jwks.endpoint.url\". Apache Kafka allows clients to read an arbitrary file and return the content in the error log, or sending requests to an unintended location. In applications where Apache Kafka Clients configurations can be specified by an untrusted party, attackers may use the \"sasl.oauthbearer.token.endpoint.url\" and \"sasl.oauthbearer.jwks.endpoint.url\" configuratin to read arbitrary contents of the disk and environment variables or make requests to an unintended location. In particular, this flaw may be used in Apache Kafka Connect to escalate from REST API access to filesystem/environment/URL access, which may be undesirable in certain environments, including SaaS products. \n\nSince Apache Kafka 3.9.1/4.0.0, we have added a system property (\"-Dorg.apache.kafka.sasl.oauthbearer.allowed.urls\") to set the allowed urls in SASL JAAS configuration. In 3.9.1, it accepts all urls by default for backward compatibility. However in 4.0.0 and newer, the default value is empty list and users have to set the allowed urls explicitly.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
}, {
"type" : "CVSS_V4",
"score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "3.1.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "3.9.1"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-27817"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/kafka"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/06/09/1"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-918" ],
"severity" : "MODERATE",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2025-06-10T20:41:34Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2025-06-10T08:15:22Z"
}
}