CVE-2026-33558: Apache Kafka, Apache Kafka Clients: Information Exposure Through Network Client Log Output
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 21/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.63% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 50.3% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
- Fixed version: org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients (Maven) 3.9.2, 4.0.1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients (Maven) 3.9.2, 4.0.1 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Information exposure vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka. The NetworkClient component will output entire requests and responses information in the DEBUG log level in the logs. By default, the log level is set to INFO level. If the DEBUG level is enabled, the sensitive information will be exposed via the requests and responses output log. The entire lists of impacted requests and responses are: * AlterConfigsRequest * AlterUserScramCredentialsRequest * ExpireDelegationTokenRequest * IncrementalAlterConfigsRequest * RenewDelegationTokenRequest * SaslAuthenticateRequest * createDelegationTokenResponse * describeDelegationTokenResponse * SaslAuthenticateResponse This issue affects Apache Kafka: from any version supported the listed API above through v3.9.1, v4.0.0. We advise the Kafka users to upgrade to v3.9.2, v4.0.1, or later to avoid this vulnerability.
- Published
- Apr 20, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 26, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.6% · 50th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-533
Report tools
Action score
21
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 21 / 40 · 5.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.6%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apache | kafka | cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apache kafka0.11.0.0 and later · before 3.9.2
- apache kafka4.0.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Apache Software Foundation Apache Kafka
- 4.0.0affected
- 0.11.0 and later · up to and including 3.9.1affected · semver
Apache Software Foundation Apache Kafka Clients
- 4.0.0affected
- 0.11.0 and later · up to and including 3.9.1affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients | from 0.11.0 · before 3.9.2 | 3.9.2 |
| Maven | org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients | from 4.0.0 · before 4.0.1 | 4.0.1 |
Same product
apache: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-27817Apache Kafka Client: Arbitrary file read and SSRF vulnerability51Plan
- CVE-2018-17196In Apache Kafka versions between 0.11.0.0 and 2.1.0, it is possible to manually craft a Produce request which bypasses transaction/idempoten37Monitor
- CVE-2026-33557Apache Kafka: Missing JWT token validation in OAUTHBEARER authentication36Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2025-27819Jun 10, 2025 · Apache Kafka: Possible RCE/Denial of service attack via SASL JAAS JndiLoginModule configuration30Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-35554Apr 7, 2026 · Apache Kafka Clients: Kafka Producer Message Corruption and Misrouting via Buffer Pool Race Condition34Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-41115Jun 2, 2026 · Apache Kafka: Improper Authorization in CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE API17Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maven:org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients | 3.9.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Maven:org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients | 4.0.1 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- low · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- Low
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-533 · DEPRECATED: Information Exposure Through Server Log FilesCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (2 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.