CVE-2026-41727: Spring for Apache Kafka Improper Validation Of Retry Topic Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
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CVSS 6.5
CWE-20
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-41727 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.5) improper validation of retry topic vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Spring for Apache Kafka libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves improper validation of retry topic header values leads to retry sequence manipulation. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.0.6, 3.3.16.

CVE-2026-41727 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-41727
GHSA Identifier GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.5
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Spring for Apache Kafka
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.5

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2026-41727

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Spring for Apache Kafka 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: 4.0.6 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>4.0.6</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: 3.3.16 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>3.3.16</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.kafka</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-kafka</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</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-2026-41727, 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 for Apache Kafka in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.0.6), 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-20: Improper Input Validation, where the product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. In Spring for Apache Kafka, 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

Spring Kafka's retry topic infrastructure did not sufficiently validate user-controlled header values before acting on them. A producer could send a record with a crafted retry_topic-attempts header to supply an out-of-range attempt count and cause the retry topic router to misidentify where the message was in the retry sequence. Affected versions: Spring for Apache Kafka 4.0.0 through 4.0.5; 3.3.0 through 3.3.15; 3.2.0 through 3.2.13; 2.9.0 through 2.9.13; 2.8.0 through 2.8.11.

CVE-2026-41727 Affected Spring for Apache Kafka Versions

5 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.0.63.3.16
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
maven/org.springframework.kafka/spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 4.0.0
< 4.0.6
4.0.6
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
maven/org.springframework.kafka/spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 3.3.0
< 3.3.16
3.3.16
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
maven/org.springframework.kafka/spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 3.2.0
≤ 3.2.13
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
maven/org.springframework.kafka/spring-kafka
Maven
≥ 2.9.0
≤ 2.9.13
org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka
maven/org.springframework.kafka/spring-kafka
Maven
≤ 2.8.11

References

NVD — CVE-2026-41727 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41727
Spring for Apache Kafka Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka
Spring for Apache Kafka Release RELEASE
https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/releases/tag/v3.3.16
Spring for Apache Kafka Release RELEASE
https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/releases/tag/v4.0.6
Spring for Apache Kafka Security Information SECURITY
https://spring.io/security/cve-2026-41727

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-41727?
CVE-2026-41727 is a security vulnerability in Spring for Apache Kafka involving Improper Validation of Retry Topic Header Values Leads to Retry Sequence Manipulation under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation.
Which Spring for Apache Kafka versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.0.6, 3.3.16 across affected packages: org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka.
What version fixes CVE-2026-41727?
Upgrading to 4.0.6, 3.3.16 (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 4.0.6, 3.3.16, Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to 4.0.6, 3.3.16, Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-41727?
CVE-2026-41727 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-41727?
CVE-2026-41727 is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation (The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-41727?
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
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h",
  "modified" : "2026-08-12T17:42:55Z",
  "published" : "2026-06-10T00:31:52Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-41727" ],
  "summary" : "Spring for Apache Kafka: Improper Validation of Retry Topic Header Values Leads to Retry Sequence Manipulation",
  "details" : "Spring Kafka's retry topic infrastructure did not sufficiently validate user-controlled header values before acting on them. A producer could send a record with a crafted retry_topic-attempts header to supply an out-of-range attempt count and cause the retry topic router to misidentify where the message was in the retry sequence.\n\nAffected versions:\nSpring for Apache Kafka 4.0.0 through 4.0.5; 3.3.0 through 3.3.15; 3.2.0 through 3.2.13; 2.9.0 through 2.9.13; 2.8.0 through 2.8.11.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.0.6"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.0.5"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
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      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.3.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.3.16"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.3.15"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.2.0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "3.2.13"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.9.0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "2.9.13"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "2.8.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41727"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/releases/tag/v3.3.16"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-kafka/releases/tag/v4.0.6"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://spring.io/security/cve-2026-41727"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-08-12T17:42:55Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-06-10T00:16:52Z"
  }
}